• 7 years ago
• Posted in:Child Sexual Abuse, Public Decency Offences, Sexual Offences, Stalking/harrassment/threats, Violent Offences
• 0
• Author: Thomas Gradgrind
• Tags: Aged 60-69, Assisted living, Autogynephilia, Child victim, Convicted 2016, Crossdressing while offending, England, Female victim, Fetish, Gender issues cited as mitigation, Get Out Of Jail Free card, Lenient sentence, Multiple victims, No jail, Not charged with sexual offence despite sexual element, Offended 2016, Offending coincided with transitioning, Reported as a man, Teesside, Trans woman, Victim impact statement, Women's/child's underwear

Geoffrey Cowell, a violent male who identifies as a trans woman, pleaded guilty to two charges of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour at Teeside Magistrates’ Court in 2016.

Two charges of outraging public decency were withdrawn (presumably as part of a plea deal where Cowell, 67, pleaded guilty to lesser charges) despite the fact that Cowell displayed worrying behaviour towards very young girls on at least two occasions.

In May 2016 Cowell “approached two eight-year-old girls and lifted up his skirt exposing the female underwear he was wearing” to them. The following afternoon, a man saw Cowell lift a grey cord skirt and show female underwear to young girls.

The witness said he was “alarmed and distressed” while the girls were left “shaken and nervous” by the incident.

Cowell’s solicitor said “He is a cross-dresser and he would like a sex change and that’s why he dresses the way he does”. The court heard that Cowell had been cross-dressing since the age of 15.

District Judge Kristina Harrison imposed a two-year conditional discharge and ordered Cowell to pay £40 costs and £20 charges.

She also said that if Cowell appeared before the court again on similar charges within two years a harsher sentence would be imposed and that Cowell needs to stay in 24-hour supported accommodation and receive full psychiatric support.

Photo via Evening Chronicle

Media Reports:

Middlesbrough Gazette http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/cross-dressing-pensioner-admits-lifting-11466253 archive