A British court has sentenced a transgender woman, Ciara Watkin, to 21 months in prison for deceiving a man into sexual activity by falsely presenting herself as biologically female.
Watkin, 21, from Thornaby in Stockton-on-Tees, was convicted of sexual assault at Durham Crown Court after a jury rejected her claim that the complainant "would have realised" her gender identity.
The victim told the court he would never have consented to the encounter had he known Watkin was biologically male. He said he felt "physically sick" upon discovering the truth, describing the experience as "shocking, embarrassing, and humiliating," and claimed it subjected him to ridicule and damaged his sense of masculinity.
The court heard that Watkin, who had identified as female since childhood but had not undergone medical transition or surgery, first met the victim on Snapchat when both were 18.
She reportedly used a female cartoon avatar and claimed to be menstruating to prevent intimate contact below the waist.
Recorder Peter Makepeace KC said he was "certain" the victim believed Watkin was a woman "from start to finish," calling her conduct a calculated act of "lies and deception."
He also believed Watkin displayed "no remorse," describing her courtroom demeanour as "flippant and disinterested."
Defence counsel Victoria Lamballe argued that Watkin’s actions were rooted not in malice, but in "shame and deep discomfort" associated with gender dysphoria, citing years of bullying and emotional turmoil. "She simply wanted to be loved," Lamballe told the court.
Despite this, the judge ruled that Watkin’s deception was deliberate and self-serving.
Watkin will serve her sentence in a male prison, where authorities have pledged protective measures due to her vulnerability.
She has also been placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and is subject to a lifetime restraining order barring any contact with the victim.
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