Trans woman jailed for sexual assault after hiding 'massive secret' from unwitting man

The 21-year-old, who identifies as a woman, performed sex acts on the teenager after demanding not to be touched below the waist.

Watkin was referred to in court by female pronouns despite Cleveland Police specifically describing the defendant as "biologically male."

The court heard how Watkin of Queen's Avenue in Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, had used the name Ciara since childhood but had not undergone any medical treatment or gender-affirming surgery.

The victim, who was 18 at the time, was convinced Watkin was a biological woman.

However, Watkin later messaged his phone with the "massive secret" about being born male, the teenager felt sick and began retching, the trial was told.

He told officers that, had he known Watkin's history, he would not have met her as he did "not swing that way".

In a victim impact statement, the complainant, who referred to Watkin with a male pronoun, said what happened to him had taken away some of his masculinity.

He added: "I am a heterosexual male and I wouldn’t even think of doing anything with a male.

"This has left me feeling ashamed and embarrassed. I have been ridiculed online due to Watkin’s deception. I have been so upset over this whole thing.

"I don’t want Watkin to get away with what he has done to me."

Victoria Lamballe, defending, said Watkin had a "crass and licentious" side.

Watkin had identified as female since primary school, and this was not "a matter of preference or choice but a deeply ingrained aspect of her identity".

Ms Lamballe said Watkin "wants to be seen by others as she sees herself".

Watkin was seen crying in the courtroom while the mitigation was read out.

Sentencing, recorder Peter Makepeace said: "I simply do not know how you can be so unmoved by what you did given you have always accepted you deliberately deceived an 18-year-old lad, who had done nothing but show you kindness and decency and hospitality, into participating in sexual acts you know he would never have contemplated had he known the truth.

"In my judgment he presented as totally, guilelessly honest. He left the witness box as a very decent, intelligent, sensitive and caring individual.

"If there was a degree of naivety, so what, what 18-year-old does not have, and indeed should have, a degree of naivety; if there was misjudgment, it was founded on a genuine trusting nature which is a quality, not a failing.

"I am only sorry your offending against him is likely to have shattered that trust."

Turning to Watkin, the judge said: "Let me say immediately being a trans female, as you identify to be, is not a mental disorder, illness or neurological impairment.

"But in your case, there is a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, that is a psychiatric diagnosis that refers to the psychological distress that results from an incongruence between one’s sex assigned at birth and one’s gender identity.

"Having seen you give evidence and your conduct throughout the trial, I am satisfied at the heart of your offending was your frustration at wanting sexual experiences with heterosexual males, and, by definition, your need to deceive to achieve that, that frustration at not having a healthy outlet for sexual urges is hardly an unusual feature in sexual assault cases."

Watkin was jailed for 21 months, and must stay on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years. A life-long restraining order was also put in place between Watkin and the victim.

Speaking after the case, Det Con Martin Scotson, the investigating officer, said: "This case is about true consent and the victim not being informed of exactly what he was consenting to.

"Ciara Watkin deceived the victim in this case, leading him to believe that throughout their sexual relationship she was a woman, when in fact she was biologically male.

"Ciara purposely concealed her sex in order for the sexual activity to take place, and had the victim been aware that Ciara was biologically male, he would not have consented."