Rachael/Rebeckah Hirsz

Rachael Hirsz, (aka Rebeckah), a violent male who identifies as a transgender woman, was convicted at Dunfermline Sheriff Court in May 2025 of the sexual assault of a young woman. Like many sex offenders, Hirsz only pled guilty to the charge on the day of the scheduled jury trial – this is a known strategy that relies on the hope that the complainant will not be able to face the ordeal of the trial, causing the case to collapse.

Hirsz, aged 53 and from Dundee, subjected the young woman to a violent sexual assault at an address in the Menzieshill area of the city, after a night out.

Sheriff Mark Thorley rejected the defence’s claim that Hirsz was suitable for a community-based punishment rather than a jail sentence. It’s incredibly serious,” he said. “It represents a gross breach of trust against someone who was a friend of yours; a much younger person in your company. “The nature of this offence means there can be no alternative to a custodial sentence.”

After being transferred to Dundee Sheriff Court for sentencing after the preparation of background reports, Hirsz was sentenced to 18 months in custody and will be subject to sex offender notification requirements for ten years. A non-harassment order lasting three years was also imposed.

A local news story in the Dundee Courier noted that in the written narrative prepared by prosecutors, Hirsz was described as having gender neutral pronouns – but female pronouns were utilised by the defence solicitor – yet another case of a male sex offender being able to dictate whether the truth about his sex can be told in court or not. As Hirsz’s prison sentence will be served at HMP Perth – a male prison – this would be an ideal opportunity to point out that the offender is male in coverage. Needless to say this opportunity to clarify was not taken, but at least the article did not call Hirsz a “woman”, instead using variations on a “significantly older former friend” to describe him.

Earlier in 2026, For Women Scotland – the group of women who brought the case to the Supreme Court that succeeded in clarifying that “woman” and “man” are defined in law according to biological sex – forced the Scottish Government to abandon its guidance that had wrongly allowed male prisoners like Hirsz (and several other violent trans-identified men such as rapist Isla Bryson or murderer Paris Green) to be housed in women’s prisons in Scotland. This is the reason there is no question or special panels pleading for Hirsz to be accommodated anywhere other than a men’s prison, like HMP Perth.

Image credit: Dundee Courier

Media reports

Dundee Courier https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/courts/5600834/woman-sexual-assault-friend-dundee/  archive