Trans female raped women while she was living as a man
Attacker transitioned after her first court appearance and faces a lengthy jail term in a women’s prison
A TRANSGENDER rapist who was convicted of launching sex attacks on two vulnerable women was last night set to be sent to await sentencing in a female jail.
Isla Bryson, who was previously known as Adam Graham, was yesterday convicted of two counts of rape at the High Court in Glasgow, committed while still living as a man.
The jury had been told that Bryson’s “dead name” was Adam Graham and that while the 31-year-old claimed to have known they were trans at age four, they only transitioned after being accused of the second rape.
The Daily Telegraph understands that despite the convictions, Bryson, who was remanded in custody, was yesterday set to be sent to HMP Cornton Vale, a women’s prison in Stirling.
Under Scottish Prison Service policy, individual risk assessments are carried out to decide where transgender inmates will be sent.
The move to house a male-bodied rapist in a female jail sparked an immediate backlash from women’s rights campaigners, who branded it “mad”.
The verdict was delivered just weeks after Holyrood passed legislation that would have made it significantly easier for Scots to change legal sex, only for it to be blocked by UK ministers in part due to fears it would place women in danger. During deliberations over the Bill, MSPS voted down amendments designed to stop male sex offenders, or those accused of sexual offences, legally becoming women.
The judge, Lord Scott, warned Bryson a significant custodial sentence was inevitable. Supporters of the legislation branded the attempts to add safeguards transphobic “dog whistles” as they suggested trans people were a danger to women.
“The fact that sending a convicted rapist to a women’s jail would even be considered shows how mad this has all become,” said Susan Smith, a director with the For Women Scotland campaign group.
“Only last month, the Scottish Government refused to entertain the possibility of refusing to allow men accused of rape attempting to seek a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC).
“This case indicates that predatory and abusive men will stop at nothing to manipulate courts and torture victims. Had this man been able to acquire a
‘The fact that sending a convicted rapist to a women’s jail is even being considered is just mad’
GRC, there would have been greater protections around the identity of the accused. We can only be grateful that some politicians still value women’s safety and dignity.”
Bryson had attacked the first victim at a flat in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, with the pair having met on the Badoo dating site.
The rape occurred on Sept 16 2016 after Bryson locked the door and got into bed beside her.
In pre-recorded testimony played to jurors, the victim said: “I thought Adam had come for a cuddle and – at that moment – everything felt weird and wrong. I did not know what was going on.” The second woman was raped at a flat in Drumchapel, Glasgow, on June 27 2019. Bryson told jurors of supposed “sexuality issues” shared with the 34-year-old, having met on the social media site Bigo.
Bryson will be sentenced on Feb 28.