A transgender woman, Ciara Watkin, has been sentenced to 21 months in prison by a British court for deceiving a man into sexual activity by posing as a biological female.
According to a BBC report, the victim told Durham Crown Court he would not have consented if he had known Watkin was biologically male.
Watkin, 21, from Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, was convicted of sexual assault after jurors rejected her claim that the man “would have realised” her gender identity.
Recorder Peter Makepeace KC said the victim “fully believed” Watkin was a woman, describing her conduct as “lies and deception.”
The court heard that both were 18 when they met on Snapchat and later had sexual contact. Prosecutors said Watkin pretended to be menstruating to hide her biological sex.
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When she later confessed, the man said he felt “physically sick” and “ashamed,” according to the BBC.
Watkin’s lawyer, Victoria Lamballe, said her actions stemmed from “shame and discomfort” with her body, noting she had identified as female since childhood.
The transgender woman will serve her sentence in a male prison, with protective measures for her safety. She was also placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and given a lifetime restraining order preventing contact with the victim.
Detective Constable Martin Scotson said Watkin “purposely concealed her sex to enable the sexual activity,” adding that he hoped the conviction would help the victim move on.