Suspects ‘can stand trial in sex of choice’

JUDGES have been told to allow transgender defendants to appear in court in the gender of their choice.

New guidelines state that ‘self-definition is the most important criteria’ and courts should respect a person’s gender identity by using appropriate names and pronouns.

The rules, published in a new edition of the Equal Treatment Bench Book, say courts should not reveal a defendant’s birth gender and that in ‘rare’ cases where disclosing a previous sex is necessary, judges should take the court into secret session or impose reporting restrictions.

Critics said the rules breach the current law, which states changing sex legally requires the approval of two doctors.