Lori Drew, the US woman accused of creating a fake MySpace profile to bully a girl who later committed suicide, has entered a plea of not guilty at a trial in Los Angeles.

In what is thought to be the first trial of its kind, US prosecutors have charged Drew under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act used to tackle hackers.

Drew created a fake MySpace profile using the name 'Josh Evans' which she used to form a bogus friendship with 13 year-old Megan Meier who had previously fallen out with Drew's daughter.

'Josh' then ended the 'relationship' with a series of messages including one which allegedly suggested that the world would be better off without her. Meier hanged herself in October 2006.

Drew faces a number of charges under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and of conspiracy, each of which carries a sentence of five years.

She has been allowed home on bail while her lawyers mount a legal challenge to the validity of the charges.