Ross / Nicola Florida

Ross / Nicola Florida, a violent male who identifies as a trans woman, was convicted in November 2007 of the rape of a boy under 16, one under 13, and raping a girl under 16, three indecent assaults of a male under 14, gross indecency with a male under 16, indecent assault of female under 14, and two counts of taking indecent photos of children. No contemporary press reports appear to be available online detailing these convictions.

Florida, 50, changed their name from Ross to Nicola in 2012 (while in prison) and was released in May 2015 before spending six months living in a bail hostel. In November 2016, Florida asked a photographic shop in Wells, Somerset to provide 16 inch x 4 inch size enlargements and the police were called by the assistant when the negatives were discovered to depict a naked female child. It emerged later that the child was one of Florida’s victims and there were cameras and photographic equipment concealed in Florida’s house.

Under the terms of the SOPO imposed in 2007, Florida was banned from owning a camera or other recording device and being in possession of photographs of children, or taking photographs of children under the age of 16.

Yeovil magistrates said the offence was so serious Florida must go to Taunton Crown Court to be sentenced.

**Update January 2018**

A man was convicted of assault in December 2017 after an altercation when Florida had tried to speak to his daughter and the man had recalled media coverage of Florida’s serious sexual offending.  Somerset Magistrates found that the defendant had pushed Florida to the ground but told him “We don’t feel you were threatened and this was not a case of self defence, however there is no real evidence that Miss Florida was punched or kicked as there were no third party witnesses to this incident,” she said. However, it is not up to you to make decisions about people’s lives in the way you did with Miss Florida.”

They imposed an 18 month conditional discharge on the defendant and ordered him to pay the £620 costs of bringing the trial to court along with a £20 victim surcharge. No order was made for compensation to the victim.

Photo via The Sun

Media reports:

Somerset Live https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/wells-man-court-after-assaulting-977966 archive

The Mirror http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/transgender-paedophile-jailed-attacking-girls-9307905

The Sun https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2239469/transgender-paedo-jailed-for-raping-boys-and-girls-is-caught-trying-to-develop-indecent-images-of-one-of-her-victims-after-being-released/

Mumsnet https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/2824913-Paedophile-transsexual-gets-fawning-profile-in-newspaper-convicted-again-of-paedophile-offence-a-month-later

Somerset Live http://www.somersetlive.co.uk/transgender-woman-from-wells-tried-to-get-photos-developed-of-naked-child/story-29924337-detail/story.html 

Video and interview with Florida on transitioning by Somerset Live in September 2016, prior to arrest for breaking the SOPO, but post original conviction for committing serious sexual offences against children. (update January 2018 – both articles removed, but urls preserved below)

http://www.somersetlive.co.uk/what-do-you-do-if-you-think-you-want-to-be-a-transgender-woman-nicola-florida-from-wells-explains/story-29767516-detail/story.html

http://www.somersetlive.co.uk/transgender-woman-from-wells-talks-about-her-journey-from-man-to-woman-and-the-life-changing-op/story-29767493-detail/story.html