Transgender woman convicted of sexual assaults

A transgender woman who failed to disclose her gender status to a male sexual partner has been found guilty of sexual assault today at Teesside Crown Court.

Ciara Watkin, 21, of Walton Street, Stockton-on-Tees, was found guilty of multiple charges relating to sexual acts that she performed on the 21-year old man over a number of days in June 2022. The sexual assault charges were brought after Watkin failed to disclose her transgender status to the man, which meant that he could not have given informed consent to the sexual activity between them.

The court heard how the pair had initially met over Snapchat, exchanging messages over a couple of weeks before meeting at a house in Thornaby. After drinking and chatting, the pair went to the bedroom of the property where Watkin told the defendant that she was on her period, preventing him from touching her below the waist as she performed sexual acts upon him. A few days later, Watkin attended the victim’s home where further sexual activity took place.

Following this, Watkin initially blocked all contact with the man but eventually got back in touch with him, before telling him during an exchange of text messages that she was transgender and that she had male genitalia.

Sarah Nelson, Senior Crown Prosecutor at CPS North East, said: “It is clear from the evidence in this case that, prior to engaging in sexual activity with the victim, Watkin had made no attempt to inform him of her transgender status.

“The Crown Prosecution Service has shown that, by failing to disclose this to him, it would not have been possible for him to give informed consent to sexual activity.

“The victim has made clear in police interview that he would not have engaged in sexual activity had he known that Watkin was transgender and, consequently, these events have had a significant impact on his mental wellbeing.

“We hope that he can take some comfort from seeing Watkin convicted for these serious sexual offences today.”

Watkin will be sentenced on 10th October at Teesside Crown Court.