Don’t record trans cat killer as female, insists Number 10

TRANSGENDER women who are convicted of a crime must be recorded as men if they have not legally changed their gender, Downing Street has said.

The intervention comes after The Telegraph revealed that Scarlet Blake, 26, a male-born transgender woman sentenced to life in prison for killing a stranger and a cat, has been recorded as a female criminal in official statistics.

Blake has been sent to a male prison but was referred to as a woman during the trial. Thames Valley Police confirmed on Wednesday that it was “required to record the gender of individuals when they are brought into our custody” and because “Blake identified as a female when in custody ... Blake is recorded as female on our crime recording system.” A backlash to this decision has now spread to Downing Street, rank-and-file officers and the local police and crime commissioner.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “The PM has been really clear on this issue. And the definition of a woman is the biological sex, and that biological sex matters. So it is important that we take that approach.

“Police forces should follow the College of Policing guidance that a person’s gender is that which was registered at birth unless they have been issued with a gender recognition certificate.”

A gender recognition certificate is obtained when someone legally changes their gender, meaning they are not simply self-identifying. Police Sex Equality and Equity Network, a gender-critical group of female officers from across the UK, has also warned of a dangerous precedent being set by the Blake case.

“We are sad to read that the murder of Jorge Martin Carreno [by Blake] has been overshadowed by the inaccurate recording of the offender’s sex,” said a spokeswoman for the group. “We offer our condolences to the family and friends of Mr Carreno and we are deeply sorry if they have been caused further pain and distress by the error.”

The group added: “It is a matter of fact that humans cannot change sex and that Scarlet Blake is male. We strongly encourage UK police forces to uphold the principles of integrity and transparency and return to accurate crime recording.”

Meanwhile, Matthew Barber, the Tory police and crime commissioner for Thames Valley, has written to James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, demanding “a review of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 to ensure the police accurately record sex”.

Mr Barber said a change in law was needed as forces “are obliged to record self-identified gender in the custody record and there is no legislative framework for them to record someone’s sex at birth”.

‘It is a matter of fact that humans cannot change sex and that Scarlet Blake is male’