Susan Bond
Susan Bond, a violent male who identifies as a trans woman, was convicted in 2015 of possessing an imitation firearm in a public place and criminal damage after discharging a BB gun in Doncaster town centre. Bond, 56, left the scene without thought to check on the damage caused and miraculously no-one was injured.
Despite the fact that such a serious weapons conviction would usually mandate time in prison, Bond was given a 20 week sentence suspended for 12 months.
District Judge Jonathan Bennett said the fact Bond would have been sent to a male prison and encounter ‘difficulties’ along with the defendant’s ‘significant’ mental health issues both played a part in the sentence.
Bond, who had been drinking prior to shooting the gun, caused £200 of damage to a member of the public’s vehicle and accepted it was a reckless thing to do in such a built-up area. The court heard that “Bond has been waiting for a transgender operation and for the last two-and-a-half years has been dressing as a woman. She experiences a lot of difficulties when she goes out on a night from people. She carries the gun for her own protection and felt safer with it in her bag.” However, on the night in question Bond was not being troubled by anyone, but “her frustration about the length of time it was taking for the sex change operation was on her mind.”
Photo credit: Marie Caley via The Star
Media reports
Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3147070/Transgender-woman-fired-gun-car-tired-waiting-NHS-sex-change-spared-jail-male-prison-difficult-her.html archive