A transgender woman has been jailed for sexual assault after concealing she had male genitalia from a man she was on a date with.
Ciara Watkin spent the night with the victim, who was 18 at the time, after they had exchanged messages on Snapchat. The 21-year-old performed sex acts on the man but refused to let him touch her, claiming she was on her period.
The victim only discovered the truth when Watkin later told him she had a massive secret.
Watkin has now been jailed for 21 months after being found guilty of two charges of sexual assault and one charge of assault by penetration at Teesside Crown Court.
The defendant must also stay on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years and is subject to a lifelong restraining order not to approach the victim.
In a victim impact statement, the complainant said what happened to him had taken away some of his masculinity.
I am a heterosexual male and I wouldn’t even think of doing anything with a male, he said.
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.
Teesside Crown Court heard Watkin had no gender reassignment surgery and stuffed clothing inside a bra to create the appearance of breasts.
The defendant’s Snapchat profile used a female cartoon avatar and there had been no discussion about sexuality or gender identity before they met.
In a police interview played in court, the victim said Watkin had maintained the deception throughout their encounter. All the way throughout she made out she was fully a girl, he told officers.
He described how the pair had been sat for a while drinking and chatting before heading to the bedroom.
Throughout the full time, she was telling me she was on her period, the man added.
It was like as far as I was concerned she was a female.
Watkin later messaged him to admit she had a massive secret to which he replied to ask if she was pregnant.
Instead, Watkin revealed she was transgender and apologised for not telling him sooner.
The man responded with shock and disbelief, saying he felt ill before reporting her to the police.
Asked how he felt about discovering the truth, the victim told officers he felt like it had taken away his manhood.
He also said he was shocked and claimed he would not have got with her if he knew Watkin had a penis as he didn’t swing that way.
The man continued to describe the emotional impact of the deception. I see it as something that upsets me. I’m just trying to hide my emotions. At first I did just have an emotional breakdown, he said.
Victoria Lamballe, defending, said Watkin had a crass and licentious side, but a psychiatric report had revealed a vulnerability.
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, the lawyer said.
Ahead of today’s case, Watkin told The Sun she believed the victim must have known she was not biologically female.
He must have known I’m not female. He knew all along I was trans and at first chose to ignore it, Watkin claimed.
His mum knew and all his mates who met me knew, so how could he claim to be the only one who didn’t?
Watkin added she was not finished with the case and intended to challenge the prosecution as unfair.
After the case, investigating officer Detective Constable Martin Scotson explained the legal basis for the conviction.
This case is about true consent and the victim not being informed of exactly what he was consenting to, he said.
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.
The case raises complex legal questions about consent and disclosure in sexual encounters. Under English law, consent obtained through deception can be considered invalid, and sexual activity without valid consent constitutes sexual assault.
Similar cases have previously come before British courts, with judges ruling that failure to disclose biological sex can vitiate consent where it is a material factor in the other person’s decision to engage in sexual activity.
The Crown Prosecution Service has guidelines stating that prosecutors must consider whether a complainant would have consented if they had known the true facts about the defendant’s identity or characteristics.
Legal experts have noted that these cases often turn on whether the deception was deliberate and whether the concealed information was fundamental to the complainant’s willingness to engage in sexual activity.
The victim’s statement about feeling his masculinity had been diminished reflects the psychological impact that such deception can have on complainants, particularly where it relates to fundamental aspects of sexual orientation and identity.
Watkin’s claims that the victim must have known she was transgender were rejected by the jury, who found her guilty on all three charges after hearing the evidence presented during the trial.
The restraining order means Watkin is prohibited from contacting or approaching the victim for the rest of her life, with any breach potentially resulting in further criminal charges.
The sex offenders’ register requirement means Watkin must notify police of any change of address and is subject to monitoring by authorities for the next decade.
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