Trans woman ‘touched and punched drag queen in pub’

ATRANSGENDER woman is accused of sexually assaulting and beating a drag queen on a night out in Bristol.

Jayde Clowting is on trial at Bristol Crown Court for “caressing the bum” of a young drag queen in the Queenshilling pub in the city centre.

Clowting is also on trial for common assault as, shortly after the alleged touching, a fight broke out on the bar’s dancefloor during which Clouting is said to have thrown punches at the victim, ripping out his nose stud and leaving him with scratches on his face.

Clowting, defended by Sarah Regan, denies all the charges and has pleaded not guilty.

The court heard how on the night of December 15, 2018, the victim who was dressed in drag along with his boyfriend made their way to the club for around 11pm.

Just before midnight, the victim said he emerged from the men’s toilets and felt the defendant touch him on the bottom.

The victim asked why she had touched him, to which she replied:

“Why can’t I touch you?”

The couple joined their friends on the dancefloor but, the victim said he soon became aware of Clouting staring at him.

He made to go outside and was stopped by Clowting’s friend Lana Stancer, a fellow transgender woman, when she said: “We’re supposed to be sisters, we’re supposed to stick together.”

The victim’s boyfriend intervened and Stancer palmed him in the face, knocking him over.

Stancer, also known as LJ, has already been found guilty in a previous trial of assaulting the victim’s boyfriend and friend.

A “catty” fight broke out and the victim said all he could remember was being knocked to the ground and feeling the defendant on top of him. CCTV footage played to the jury shows the brawl followed by Clowting and Stancer getting ejected from the club.

The victim’s boyfriend was said to be inside on the dancefloor with an injured shoulder.

The victim described the effect the assaults have had on him as “very upsetting”.

The trial continues.