**Transgender Woman Sentenced for Deceiving Sexual Partner** A 21-year-old transgender woman, Ciara Watkin, has been sentenced to 21 months in prison after being found guilty of sexual assault. The case stems from an incident that occurred several years ago in Thornaby, Yorkshire, where Watkin engaged in sexual acts with a man without disclosing her transgender status. The victim, who met Watkin through Snapchat, reported that she had concealed her male genitalia during their encounter. He later received a text from Watkin revealing, "I'm trans. I'm sorry I didn't tell you," which prompted him to contact the police. In court, the victim expressed feelings of betrayal, stating, "It makes me feel like it's taken away my manhood. I see it as something that upsets me." He described how Watkin had led him to believe she was fully female throughout their time together, even claiming to be on her period. Sarah Nelson, Senior Crown Prosecutor at CPS North East, highlighted that Watkin had made no effort to inform the victim of her transgender status before engaging in sexual activity. Nelson stated, "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." Watkin's defence attorney, Victoria Lamballe, noted that Watkin had not undergone gender reassignment surgery and had used clothing to create the appearance of being female. The court heard that the victim's mother and friends had suspected Watkin's transgender status but did not inform him. Detective Constable Martin Scotson, the investigating officer, emphasised the importance of true consent, stating, "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." Watkin admitted to police that she realised revealing her transgender status would have ended the relationship. The judge remarked that there was no doubt Watkin had set out to deceive the victim to secure sexual relations. Following the conclusion of the case, Cleveland Police urged anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence to seek support and report it. This case has raised significant discussions about consent and the importance of transparency in sexual relationships.