Trans prisoners to be barred from women’s jails over safety fears
TRANSGENDER prisoners who are biologically male are to be blocked from serving time in women’s jails, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Following high-profile sex scandals involving trans prisoners, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab plans to implement a new policy whereby Ministers have to sign off any move to a women’s prison of a male-bodied inmate who selfidentifies as a woman.
The Government would also have the power to order the removal of transgender prisoners from jails.
Sources said Mr Raab has adopted the tough stance following an alarming incident earlier this year involving a transgender prisoner serving time for murder at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey. The killer, who has male genitalia, was caught having consensual sex with another inmate after consuming illegally brewed alcohol. There was also an allegation that the same inmate committed a sexual assault against a second female prisoner, but last night the Ministry of Justice said they had no record of a complaint.
A whistleblower at Bronzefield said female inmates were ‘extremely uncomfortable’ by the transgender prisoner’s presence but felt unable to complain. The insider said the killer had allegedly been overheard saying, ‘I’m going to f*** you’ to one prisoner, and, on another occasion, said: ‘I love p **** – why would I want to be in a man’s prison?’
Last year it was revealed there were 40 transgender prisoners in women’s prisons in England and Wales. Almost all were born male.
Officials confirmed there have been seven sex attacks and rapes of female prisoners by transgender inmates in recent years. They include convicted sex offender Karen White, who sexually assaulted two women while on remand at New Hall jail in Wakefield.
White, who was formerly known as Stephen Wood, was described by a judge as a ‘predator’ who was a danger to women and children.
That case saw the prison service open a dedicated transgender wing at HMP Downview in Surrey, but the problem persists.
The whistleblower at Bronzefield, the UK’s largest women’s prison with 527 inmates, said: ‘Every time there is a transgender male to female with a male organ brought into the prison, the female prisoners are extremely uncomfortable and upset. But the women prisoners don’t feel they can complain because they think nothing will be done.’
A Government source said Mr Raab’s policy – which is likely to face legal challenges from protrans campaigners and human rights lawyers – will have to be signed off by the Cabinet once a new Prime Minister is installed. However, if it gets the green light, an inmate in a men’s prison will be allowed to switch to a women’s jail only if a Minister authorises it.
A Whitehall source said the current policy of allowing male-bodied prisoners to self-identify as women and switch jails was putting vulnerable women at risk.
The source added: ‘The current approach is not safe. The next Justice Secretary needs to get an urgent grip and protect female prisoners from potential male-bodied predators. If we cannot protect women in the most tightly controlled environment in the country, where can we protect single-sex spaces?’
A Ministry of Justice spokesman last night confirmed that Mr Raab plans to change the rules.
They added: ‘Having reviewed the arrangements in July, the Justice Secretary directed changes so transgender prisoners with male genitalia are not housed with other biologically born women in the female prison estate, unless specifically signed off by a Minister. Once confirmed by the new Government in September, it would be implemented as soon as possible.’
A spokeswoman for HMP Bronzefield said last night: ‘We do not comment on individuals.’