A “predatory and controlling” rapist has been jailed for life after she attacked vulnerable women in female prisons.
Karen White, 52, who was described as being a danger to women and children, admitted sexually assaulting women in a female prison and raping another two women outside jail.
White was transferred to New Hall prison in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, on remand last September after being arrested on suspicion of repeatedly stabbing a neighbour. The attacks on fellow prisoners took place between September and October.
The 52-year-old, who is currently transitioning, was sentenced yesterday for two counts of rape, two sexual assaults and one offence of wounding.
White has previous convictions for indecent assault, indecent exposure and gross indecency involving children, animal cruelty and dishonesty.
The Ministry of Justice has apologised for moving her to the women’s prison, saying that her previous offending history had not been taken into account.
Quick GuideWhat are the prison guidelines for transgender prisoners?
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What did the old guidelines say?
2011 policy guidelines for England and Wales stated that prisoners should normally be located in the prison estate of their gender as recognised by UK law. For transgender prisoners, a gender recognition certificate (GRC) would normally be necessary before a person could be placed in a prison corresponding to their acquired gender. However there was some flexibility for trans prisoners who were “sufficiently advanced in the gender reassignment process”.
Why did they change?
In November 2016, the National Offender Management Service (Noms) published a revised policy on transgender prisoners. The service had initiated a review of the issue early in 2015. However, late in 2015 its scope was broadened following the deaths of two transgender inmates, and another case where a transgender woman was first sent to a male prison, but was later transferred to a women’s prison after a public petition.
What the change meant
The government published a report on Noms' policy review in November 2016 which acknowledged that the treatment of transgender people in the criminal justice system had not kept pace with wider social views. While the 2011 guidelines had emphasised the role of GRCs and medical interventions, the report noted that many transgender people successfully lived their lives without these. The new policy needed to “take as its starting presumption a wish to respect someone in the gender in which they identify”.
The new policy guidelines state that “all transgender prisoners (irrespective of prison location) must be allowed to express the gender with which they identify”.
Such prisoners must be asked their view of the part of the prison estate that reflects this; however a decision to locate them in a prison which does not accord with their legal gender can only be made following a transgender case board. Those who wish to be placed in a prison location which is not consistent with their legally recognised gender must provide evidence of living in the gender with which they identify. Assessments will be made on a case by case basis.
Prosecutor Chris Dunn described White as an “alleged transgender female” who has used her “transgender persona to put herself in contact with vulnerable persons” whom she could then abuse.
“The prosecution say that because there is smattering of evidence in this case that the defendants approach to transition has been less than committed,” he added.
Sentencing White to a minimum of eight years-and-a-half years in prison, the judge, Christopher Batty, said: “You are a predator and highly manipulative and in my view you are a danger. You represent a significant risk of serious harm to children, to women and to the general public.”
White appeared at Leeds crown court via videolink from HMP Leeds – a male prison – dressed in a patterned blouse and wearing a blonde wig and using a walking stick. The court was told that since entering the prison system in August, White, who was now using a wheelchair on a regular basis, had begun gender reassignment treatment.
The court heard that White had a long history of sexual violence and had displayed predatory behaviour towards vulnerable adults and children for almost two decades.
In 1989, when she was known by her birth name, Stephen Terence Wood, she was convicted of indecent exposure when she deliberately exposed herself near a children’s playground.
Twelve years later White would go on to indecently assault and commit gross indecency with two boys aged nine and 12. She was jailed for 18 months.
And in 2003, not long after coming out of prison and while still on licence, she went on to rape a pregnant woman – the wife of a friend.
The defendant, who was then known as Stephen Wood and living in Manchester, had offered to help decorate a flat of the woman, who was two months pregnant.
While there White secretly spiked her drink with vodka until she passed out and then raped her, the court heard. White was arrested but no information was given in court as to why she was not prosecuted at the time.
The victim told the court in a statement the attack had ruined her life because her husband had not believed her.
In a statement to the court she said: “I have no relationships with anyone. I felt very dirty as a woman. I became very depressed. Even now 15 years on I still struggle with mental health and suffer horrendous flashbacks. Until 15 years ago I was a strong woman.”
White was first arrested in August last year when she threatened to kill her 66-year-old neighbour and repeatedly stabbed him with a steak-knife in Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire.
While on remand at HMP New Hall White began gender realignment, wearing a wig, makeup and false breasts.
The court heard she became friendly with another female inmate. But on September 13 last year while in a queue for medication she pressed herself against the victim in a sexual manner.
The matter was reported to police and another prison assault came to light. Another inmate told how she was in the prison workshop with White when the defendant was making “inappropriate comments”.
White then grabbed her hand and put it on the defendant’s left breast with the words: “Oh look, they are not real ones.”
While in New Hall White wrote a letter to a woman. It was this letter that sparked an investigation as the woman returned the letter saying that she did not want any further correspondence from White to be sent to her.
Prison authorities and police began to investigate and the woman, in her 20s, told police White had violently raped her five or six times between January and December 2016. Police then also investigated the 2003 rape.
While on remand White freely admitted to probation officers she was sexually interested in children and could abuse a child and “think nothing of it”.
Addressing the defendant, Batty added: “You are a predator and highly manipulative and in my view you are a danger.”
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “We apologise sincerely for the mistakes which were made in this case.
“While we work to manage all prisoners, including those who are transgender, sensitively and in line with the law, we are clear that the safety of all prisoners must be our absolute priority.”
