• 11 months ago
• Posted in:Possession of weapons, Stalking/harrassment/threats, Violent Offences
• 0
• Author: Trans Crime
• Tags: 6ft plus, Aged 60-69, Chef, Convicted 2025, County Down, Female prison, HMP Hydebank Wood, HMP Maghaberry, Male prison, Male victim, Michelle James, Misgendering, Neighbour victim, Northern Ireland, Offended 2024, PSNI, Reoffended while on licence/bail, Retired, Sued prison service/MoJ/NHS, Trans activist, Trans woman, Transferred to women's prison

Michelle James, a male who identifies as a transgender woman, was charged with threatening to kill a neighbour in County Down in December 2024 and detained at HMP Maghaberry, a high security men’s prison near Lisburn, Northern Ireland.

James, aged 63 and a local trans activist and retired chef from County Down, mounted habeas corpus proceedings which the Department of Justice conceded based on a lack of a policy for transgender individuals held in custody. The court therefore decided James should be moved to HMP Hydebank Wood, a women’s prison and young offender’s centre located in South Belfast. James was subsequently bailed with strict conditions imposed not to contact the complainant.

*Update November 2025*

Reduxx reports that on November 6, James pleaded guilty at Newtownards Magistrates Court to one charge of possessing an offensive weapon (a knife). Charges of making threats to kill and of threatening or abusive behaviour were withdrawn. Just two days later, James appeared in court again for violating the conditions of his bail.

Sentencing will take place in December 2025, with potential implications for how transgender prisoners are accommodated across Northern Ireland. The Belfast Telegraph reports that James launched a Judicial Review against the Department of Justice (DoJ) over its policy on transgender prisoners. A barrister told a High Court hearing the DoJ now had guidelines in place regarding accommodation of transgender prisoners in Northern Ireland.

See here for almost 40 examples of other trans-identified males who have been convicted of harassing/assaulting their neighbours.

Image via X/Twitter user @smith_orlat

Media reports

Belfast Telegraph https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life/news/retired-trans-chef-told-police-she-planned-to-stab-her-neighbour-after-row/a711306785.html archive

Reduxx https://reduxx.info/trans-activist-who-secured-pre-trial-transfer-to-womens-jail-is-convicted-after-threatening-neighbor-with-a-knife-for-misgendering-him/ archive

BBC News Transgender woman wins court case for transfer to female prison https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g2w3q10lno archive

Belfast Telegraph https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/courts/transgender-woman-detained-on-charges-of-threatening-to-kill-neighbour-wins-battle-to-be-transferred-to-ni-female-prison/a825568536.html archive