Isla Bryson was sent to HMP Cornton Vale after being convicted of raping two women before she changed gender.
Image source, SpindriftA trans woman who raped two women before she changed gender will not serve her sentence in a female jail, Scotland’s first minister has said.
Isla Bryson was remanded to Cornton Vale women’s prison after being convicted of carrying out the rapes when she was a man called Adam Graham.
Bryson decided to transition from a man to a woman while awaiting trial.
Nicola Sturgeon has now said Bryson will not be incarcerated at Cornton Vale.
Bryson is due to be sentenced next month – but where that sentence should be served has been the subject of heated debate.
Speaking at First Minister’s Questions in the Scottish Parliament, Ms Sturgeon quoted the chief executive of Rape Crisis as saying she did not see how it was possible to have a rapist within a women’s prison.
Ms Sturgeon added: “I agree with that statement and I think in general that statement is correct.”
Referring directly to the Bryson case, Ms Sturgeon confirmed: “This prisoner will not be incarcerated in Cornton Vale women’s prison.”
The first minister said any prisoner who poses a risk of sexual offending is segregated from other prisoners including while a risk assessment is carried out.
She said: “There is no automatic right for a trans woman convicted of a crime to serve their sentence in a female prison even if they have a gender recognition certificate.
“Every case is subject to rigorous individual risk assessment and the safety of other prisoners is paramount.”
Image source, Police Scotland