Jailed, the trans sex attacker in court as a man and a woman
A TRANSGENDER sex offender has been jailed in what is thought to be a legal first after appearing in court as a man and as a woman on the same occasion.
Chloe Walker, formerly known as Brandon, appeared on a court list for sentencing last month under both names, with a separate case number for each listing.
The defendant was dealt with for two breaches of a sexual harm prevention order and one of failing to tell police of a new phone number – prosecuted under her male name in 2018.
She also admitted two counts of failing to comply with the requirements of the sex offenders’ register this year, which were processed under her preferred name of Chloe.
Walker, 30, from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, was sentenced to ten months in prison for all five offences at the hearing at Northampton Crown Court on October 22.
Her barrister, Chantelle Stocks, said that a defendant being listed under both male and female names in the same hearing was ‘definitely a situation which I have never experienced before’.
She said: ‘Given the climate that we are now in, if a defendant wants to be referred to by a preferred name, then the court can agree to that request.’ She said Walker, who is awaiting gender reassignment surgery, was sent to a male prison.
A source at the court said: ‘It is a most unusual situation but we can only go with what is given to us on the committal papers.’ Walker has racked up 49 offences including sexual crimes against young children.
In a separate case at Northampton Magistrates Court last year she appeared on the court list as Mr Chloe Walker.
She was referred to as Mr Walker for the first half of proceedings until prosecutors were told to refer to Walker using feminine pronouns.
Last month’s hearing was told that Walker used aliases on Facebook to prey on vic
‘Most unusual situation’
tims. Despite being handed sexual harm prevention orders, Walker repeatedly breached them.
The court heard that she had been released from prison in January and was subject to a sexual harm prevention order compelling her to register her mobile phone numbers with police. But in May Walker ceased contact with police.
The court heard that since 2006 Walker had 22 other convictions for 44 offences, including sexually assaulting a boy under 13, sexual activity with a girl under 16 and assault.
Miss Stocks said Walker, who has autism, does ‘not react well to change’ and described her future gender reassignment surgery as a ‘milestone’ in her transition to be ‘the person she needs to be’.