In London, a 21-year-old transgender woman named Ciara Watkin was found guilty of sexual assault for not telling her male partner that she was transgender before they became intimate.
According to prosecutors, Ciara met the man, also 21 years old, through Snapchat in June 2022. They later met in person and engaged in sexual activity. But Ciara did not reveal her gender status to him before it happened.
To avoid suspicion, Ciara reportedly told the man that she was on her period, which meant he could not touch her below the waist. This prevented him from realizing she was transgender.
A few days later, they met again. After this second meeting, Ciara blocked the man and cut off all contact. Later on, she reached out again through text messages — and this time admitted she was transgender and still had male genitalia.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) explained that because Ciara never told the man the truth beforehand, he could not properly consent to the sexual activity.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Sarah Nelson said:
“The evidence clearly shows that Watkin made no attempt to inform the victim of her transgender status before the sexual activity. The victim stated that he would never have agreed if he had known the truth. This has had a serious impact on his mental health.”
Ciara admitted she lied, but her lawyers argued during trial that it would have been “blindingly obvious” to the man that she was not biologically female.
Despite this defense, the jury found her guilty of:
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Two counts of sexual assault
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One count of assault by penetration
The case was heard at Teesside Crown Court in northeast England. Ciara is now awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled for October 10.
This case has sparked discussions in the UK about truth, consent, and responsibility in relationships, especially when it involves sensitive personal identity issues.
