Transgender woman from Stockton jailed for sexual assault
Ciara Watkin admitted failing to tell her victim about her gender status before engaging in sexual activity.
Last updated 10th Oct 2025
A transgender woman from Stockton has been sentenced to 21 months in jail for sexually assaulting a man.
21 year-old Ciara Watkin admitted failing to tell her victim about her gender status before engaging in sexual activity.
It's emerged the pair had initially met over Snapchat back in 2022, exchanging messages over a couple of weeks before meeting at a house in Thornaby.
The court also heard Watkin failed to disclose her transgender status to the man, which meant that he couldnt have given informed consent to the sexual activity between them.
In a victim impact statement - the man said he was shocked, ashamed, embarrassed and upset and he feels like the acts have taken away some of his masculinity - as he genuinely believed Watkin was a girl.
She’s also been put on the sex offenders register for 10 years and has a restraining order against the victim for life.
Sarah Nelson, Senior Crown Prosecutor at CPS North East, issued this statement after Watkin was found guilty in August:
“It is clear from the evidence in this case that, prior to engaging in sexual activity with the victim, Watkin had made no attempt to inform him of her transgender status.
“The Crown Prosecution Service has shown that, by failing to disclose this to him, it would not have been possible for him to give informed consent to sexual activity.
“The victim has made clear in police interview that he would not have engaged in sexual activity had he known that Watkin was transgender and, consequently, these events have had a significant impact on his mental wellbeing.
“We hope that he can take some comfort from seeing Watkin convicted for these serious sexual offences today.”
Detective Constable Martin Scotson, Investigating Officer at Cleveland Police, said:
“This case is about true consent and the victim not being informed of exactly what he was consenting to. Ciara Watkin deceived the victim in this case, leading him to believe that throughout their sexual relationship she was a woman when in fact she was biologically male.
“Ciara purposely concealed her sex in order for the sexual activity to take place, and had the victim been aware that Ciara was biologically male, he would not have consented.
“A number of enquiries were carried out as part of this investigation, including examining social media messages and speaking with witnesses.
“I hope that now this case has been brought to a conclusion, the victim can now move forward with his life.
“Cleveland Police would urge anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence to seek support, come forward and report it.”