Michelle James
Michelle James, a violent 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 Charges of making threats to kill and of threatening or abusive behaviour were withdrawn.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.
*Update April 2026*
James, aged 64 and from Cloghy, County Down, was further convicted of assault in April 2026. The offence was aggravated by homophobic hostility – on 2 December 2024, an “intoxicated” James attacked a neighbour on a communal stairwell in their shared building, called him “a f****** fa***t” and threw a punch at him.
See here for other examples of trans-identified males who have been convicted of offences involving homophobia.
In yet another case of the trans Get Out Of Jail Free Card, the judge acknowledged that the custodial threshold had been crossed, but suspended the four-month prison sentence for 18 months, given his guilty plea. Judge Brady also imposed a restraining order, barring James from contacting, pestering or harassing the victim.
James appeared in the dock from a women’s prison – it is unknown whether he is serving time for the previous violent offences committed against a neighbour (possession of a knife) or whether James was remanded after an arrest warrant had to be issued in January 2026 due to failure to attend court. It is also unknown if the victim in this latest case is the same man James attacked previously or another unfortunate neighbour.
Image via X/Twitter user @smith_orlat
Media reports
Belfast Telegraph https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/transgender-woman-avoids-jail-over-33699593 archive
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