Transgender Woman on Trial Accused of Sexual Assault After Allegedly Hiding Gender Identity from Date

Ciara Watkin, 21, Pictured this morning at Teesside Crown Court, denies two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual assault by penetration

A 21-year-old transgender woman is standing trial accused of sexually assaulting a man after allegedly concealing her biological sex.

Ciara Watkin is facing two counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual assault by penetration at Teesside Crown Court. Prosecutors claim Watkin misled a man she met on Snapchat by presenting herself as female before engaging in sexual activity at her home in Thornaby, North Yorkshire.

The alleged victim told police that Watkin “made out she was fully a girl” and said he believed she was menstruating at the time, explaining, “Throughout the full time, she was telling me she was on her period. It was like as far as I was concerned she was a female.”

Watkin stands accused of having performed sex acts on the man after he arrived at a house in Thornaby, north Yorkshire, a number of years ago

He said they drank together before moving to the bedroom, where Watkin performed sexual acts on him. He also testified that Watkin asked him to join her in the bathroom with the lights switched off so it was “pitch black.” He claimed she guided his hands from her breast and thigh but avoided other areas.

The man told jurors he later suffered an emotional breakdown after learning the truth, stating: “It makes me feel like it’s taken away my manhood. I see it as something that upsets me. At first, I did just have an emotional breakdown.”

Watkin had not undergone any gender reassignment surgery and had stuffed clothing down her bra

Defense lawyer Victoria Lamballe confirmed Watkin has not undergone gender reassignment surgery and had padded her bra with clothing.

The court heard that Watkin later admitted to the man over the phone that she was transgender, saying she “still has a penis.” The man told officers, “If I knew she had a penis I wouldn’t have got with her. I didn’t swing that way.”

When questioned in court, the defense suggested it should have occurred to him during the encounter that Watkin might not be biologically female. He responded, “I thought she was a female.”

Watkin had asked him to come into the bathroom when using the toilet and asked for the light to be switched off so it was 'pitch black', the court heard

Prosecutor Paul Reid told the jury that Watkin admitted to police after her arrest: “Me and him had sex without me telling him I was a boy. When I let him know I was a different gender, he didn’t like it.”

Messages later exchanged between the two were read aloud in court. When the man asked if Watkin’s “massive secret” was pregnancy, she replied: “I’m trans. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” The man responded: “WTF. So you have a d***?” to which Watkin confirmed: “That’s why I haven’t s***** you.”

The court was told Watkin’s Snapchat profile used a female cartoon avatar and that her gender identity was never discussed prior to the encounter.

Watkin denies all charges, and the trial remains ongoing.