Transgender woman found guilty of rape when she was a man

Jan 24, 2023

A transgender woman has been found guilty of raping two women when she was a man.

Isla Bryson attacked the victims before she transitioned to female and when she was known as Adam Graham.

A trial at the High Court in Glasgow heard Bryson raped one woman in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, in 2016, and another in Drumchapel, Glasgow, in 2019.

She met both her victims online, with prosecutors saying she “preyed” on vulnerable women.

Bryson, of Clydebank, denied the charges, telling the court she “would never hurt another human being”. However, a jury found her guilty of both rape charges.

Addressing Bryson, 31, in the dock on Tuesday, judge Lord Scott said: “You have been convicted by the jury of two extremely serious charges; those being charges of rape.”

He told her the crimes were “considerable” and that “a significant sentence is inevitable”.

Bryson’s bail was revoked and she has been remanded in custody until 28 February to allow Lord Scott to gather “as much information as possible” on her before deciding her sentencing.

The court heard Bryson was going through the breakdown of an unhappy, brief marriage when she went to stay with her first victim at the victim’s mother’s house in Clydebank in 2016.

On the night of the rape, Bryson was said to have locked the victim’s bedroom door which was “unusual”.

Giving evidence, the 30-year-old victim said: “All I said was ‘no’ over and over and over again.

“At the time I was so scared. Sick to the stomach. I just didn’t know what was going on.”

She said Bryson later threatened her family with harm if she told anyone.

The second victim told the court Bryson continued to have sex with her after she said stop.

The 34-year-old told the court: “I said to stop but he (Bryson) just kept on going, and that’s when I just closed my eyes and I am doing what he wanted to do.”

In her own evidence, Bryson claimed both women consented to having sex.

She said she knew she was transgender at the age of four but did not make the decision to transition until she was 29. She is currently taking hormones and seeking surgery to complete gender reassignment.

She said in 2016 she was “struggling with my sexuality and having issues emotionally”.

The court heard Bryson has three “minor” convictions on her record, but none of these required a prison sentence.

Sky News understands that Bryson is being held in Cornton Vale women’s prison in Stirling, but will not be held alongside the jail’s general population.

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