A transgender woman accused of rape was “in no way a predatory male”, her lawyer has said.

Isla Bryson is alleged to have raped a woman in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, in 2016 and another in Drumchapel, Glasgow, in 2019.

The High Court in Glasgow had been told in agreed evidence that Bryson now identifies as a transgender woman, but was previously known as Adam Graham.

Bryson, 31, told the court that she knew she was transgender at the age of four but did not make the decision to transition until she was 29, and is currently taking hormones and seeking surgery to complete gender reassignment.

Edward Targowski KC, for the defence, described the three main witnesses in the trial as “vulnerable”, adding: “And that includes Isla Bryson.”

Mr Targowski spoke about Bryson’s gender, saying: “If you accept that evidence, that she is transitioning, that she is aiming to continue on that path to becoming female gender, that goes a long way to acquitting her of these charges.”

Bryson claims all sex was consensual.

Mr Targowski added: “Where I do take issue with the trial and advocate depute is that there is no way Isla Bryson could be described as a predatory male.

“This is not the sort of case we are in.”

Advocate depute John Keenan argued there was “clear evidence” of a lack of consent in both the alleged victims’ accounts, which he described as “credible and reliable”.

Mr Keenan stated: “He [the accused] was too strong and she couldn’t push him off, she said no, loudly, on multiple occasions.

“She continued to try and push him off but he said no.”

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In relation to the second alleged victim, Mr Keenan said: “There is clear evidence from the complainer there was not consent.

“She told the accused to stop, that she couldn’t breathe, that she didn’t want to. The accused did not stop.”

In response to Bryson’s evidence, Mr Keenan said the accused’s account was “entirely incredible and unreliable”.

He added that Bryson “preyed on two vulnerable female partners”.

The jury is out for deliberation and Lord Scott adjourned the trial until Tuesday.

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