Shantelle Taylor

Shantelle Taylor, a violent male who identifies as a trans woman, was convicted of threatening and abusive behaviour during a brawl at a homeless hostel in Glasgow. Sentence was deferred until 5 December 2017 for the defendant to be of good behaviour.

Taylor, 24, is quoted in the Daily Record as saying  “I wasn’t allowed to go into the cells with other inmates. I had to sit at the door because of my gender status.” These rules at HMP Cornton Vale (a women’s prison) are presumably designed to protect female inmates, who have a right to safety while incarcerated as prisons do not exist to validate or prioritise trans people’s identities over the safety of others. 

A Scottish Prison Service spokesman is also quoted as saying “We have very well established policies to ensure individuals are treated with respect and dignity. We are advised in those policies by, among others, the Scottish Transgender Alliance.”

In 2013 and 2017, murderer Paris Green was moved first from Cornton Vale and then from the women’s wing of HMP Edinburgh after repeatedly displaying sexually predatory behaviour towards female inmates. Double rapist Jessica Winfield was also segregated from female prisoners in HMP Bronzefield after reportedly sexually threatening female prisoners.

*Update May 2018*

Taylor was recalled to prison after breaching bail conditions not to have any contact with partner Michael Moloney. When the police searched Taylor’s home, Moloney was found hiding in the loft.

Photo via Daily Record

Media reports

Daily Record https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/transgender-inmate-who-claims-prison-12616236 archive

Daily Record http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/sex-change-prisoner-called-it-11068044

Daily Mirror http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/transgender-inmate-branded-it-prison-11069080