Cai Christopher
Cai Christopher, a violent female who identifies as a transgender man, was convicted at Cardiff Crown Court in December 2021 of two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm and one of assault by penetration. Christopher was sent to a young offenders’ institution for a mere six years and will remain on the sex offenders’ register for life.
Christopher, 19, who has identified as male since the age of three, subjected the female victim to a vicious and prolonged attack in a hotel room in Newport, Gwent. The court heard that Christopher – who had drunk a quarter of a bottle of Bacardi – pulled the victim about the room, strangling her, punching, biting and scratching her all over her body and threatened to rape her. Christopher then caused the woman pain by perpetrating an assault by penetration sexual offence against her, and threatened to continue to do it “as often as he [sic] wanted”. Later, Christopher hit the woman on the head with a metal belt buckle “a number of times”, causing blood to seep from the back of her head. She then fell to the floor as Christopher stamped on her head.
In her police interview the woman told them she believed she might be killed during the episodes of being strangled for at least 30 seconds and when Christopher jumped on her chest, throat and head. Eventually she escaped via the fire exit at the end of the corridor without her shoes or coat and staff were alerted that something was wrong.
When the police attended, they questioned Christopher in the presence of the victim so she could not tell them what had happened. Despite being able to see her physical condition and demeanour, the police did not arrest Christopher and left the premises after believing the defendant’s story of experiencing a “psychotic episode” after “struggling with ADHD over the past four days.” However, the hotel staff called an ambulance after remaining extremely concerned. Christopher tried to follow her to A&E and was then finally arrested after appearing at a Cardiff hospital searching for the victim.
In her victim impact statement the victim said: “I walk into shops and see things like Bacardi bottles which give me flashbacks to the attacks. I started taking antidepressants after the incident and I am really depressed. It’s taken control of my life. Before the incident I was bubbly, very energetic, and I loved going out to walks and talking to people. I didn’t let anyone treat me the way Cai did. I am worried about Cai stalking me in the future. When he was in the moment abusing me I think he was proud of what he was doing. It has left me anxious and panicky to go anywhere outside my town by myself.”
Christopher was previously cautioned for common assault in July 2020 but had no previous convictions.
Image via Gwent Police
Media reports
Wales Online https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/cai-christopher-plymouth-court-sentenced-22360379 archive
South Wales Argus https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/19761694.cai-christopher-plymouth-locked-newport-assault/ archive archive