Transgender rapist's first victim says it's 'impossible attacker is not a man'
The first victim of trans rapist Isla Bryson says it is “impossible” her attacker is no longer a man.
It is the first time a survivor has spoken out since the political row over the case exploded five days ago.
Bryson – born Adam Graham – raped two women, was arrested as a man and appeared at early court hearings under her birth name.
But the fiend went on to announce she was transgender and identified as female. That meant she was initially sent to a women’s jail.
But the haunted victim said her first thought on hearing the news was: “What about all the ladies in there?”
Teachers, civil servants and train drivers walk out in biggest strike in decade
On Thursday, hours before we spoke exclusively to the victim’s mother, a dramatic U-turn saw Bryson, 31, moved to a men’s prison.
But the mum, who refuses to refer to Bryson with female pronouns, said her daughter thinks it’s “impossible” he’s transgender. She added: “She can’t believe it’s the same person.”
Isla Bryson, formerly known as Adam Graham (PA)
The first victim's mum spoke to The Sunday MirrorBryson was in a relationship with his first victim and lived with her and her mother before the romance ended after he raped her in her own bed in September 2016.
The family suspect he only identified as trans in a bid to dodge tough conditions in a men’s jail.
The victim’s mother stressed: “I have every support for transgender people getting what they want.
“I’m totally equal opportunities and I’d back them to the hilt.
“But he’s very manipulative and everybody falls for it. It’s an easy way out. I don’t believe a word he says.”
The mum, who cannot be named for legal reasons, added: “When my daughter found out he’d been put in a women’s prison, she said to me, ‘Mum, what about all the ladies in there?’ Thank God he’s been moved.”
The victim’s mum spoke on Friday, less than 24 hours after public outrage led to Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announcing Bryson’s move from a female-only institution.
In court, it was said that Bryson is in the process of starting surgery to complete gender reassignment.
Richard 'shuts up' GMB guest who says Hancock 'deserved' being called 'd***head'
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made a u-turn, sending Bryson to a men's jail (Daily Record)A letter from Bryson’s GP, dated last August, confirmed “maximum recommended doses” of hormone therapy.
Bryson told the court that she knew she was transgender at the age of four, but did not make the decision to transition until she was 29.
Describing how she was feeling in 2016, when the rape took place, she told the court: “At that time, I was struggling with my sexuality and having issues, emotionally.”
But the victim’s mum remains unconvinced. She said: “I don’t believe a word. He said in court he doesn’t enjoy sleeping with women, but he’s so into women.
“I don’t believe he’s truly transgender. I feel as if he’s made a mockery out of them using it.
“As far as I’m concerned, that was to make things easier for himself.
“He spoke plenty about his feelings and there was never any sign of a tendency to him being a female. It was the opposite. He always came across as a big tough guy. When there was any problem in the area, he’d say, ‘I’ll go and sort them out’.
“He came across as this stocky, macho man with a very manly voice.
“He was always there in T-shirts with his muscles out, like, ‘Look at me… I’ll lift it, I’ll get it’.
“You’ve got genuine cases where people are desperate to get reassignment for the right reasons because they’ve been born into that body… not because they’ve raped two people and decided that’s an easy way out.” Pictures this week showed Bryson walking into court for the rape trial while wearing a wig and tight leggings.
Bryson on the way to court (PA)But the mum said: “The pictures looked ridiculous… I don’t think he’ll ever go through with the full change. I’m sure he’s faking it.”
The mum first met Bryson when her daughter invited him to their home in July 2016.
They had met on an online dating network, where Bryson wooed her with constant attention.
The mum said: “I walked in the door and nearly had a heart attack when I saw him sitting on the couch with his bald head and big tattoos on his face. I thought, ‘Gangland member’.
“I was a bit wary, but they were talking away, laughing and giggling. Then she asked could he stay with us for a while because he was struggling.”
The mum says her daughter soon fell “head over heels” for Bryson, who even helped decorate their kitchen.
But she says within weeks, Bryson changed from a seemingly loving partner into a controlling bully. The mum recalled: “Every time her phone was ringing he was over her shoulder asking, ‘What you doing, babe, who’s that? Who you talking to?’
“The phone would go again and he’d be like, ‘Who is that now?’
“He’d tell her to tell them to stop phoning. Then it was, ‘What you wearing? Don’t wear that to go out’. He wanted her covered up, basically.
“He also started wanting to be everywhere that she went and would stop her talking to people.
“He only wanted her to talk to him. When he left the house, he’d phone her 10 minutes later, saying, ‘What you doing?’ and he’d be on the phone to her non-stop so she didn’t really have much option to talk to anybody else.
“I thought, ‘That’s scary’. I started to tell her I thought something wasn’t right.”
The woman told how she was passing her daughter’s room in September 2016 when she heard her telling Bryson: “No, don’t do that, stop.”
She admits: “I was embarrassed at the thought they were having sex through the wall from me so I went to the living room.” In court, Bryson claimed the sex was consensual and he had not known that the mum was at home. He insisted: “If a mother heard her daughter saying, ‘No, no, no’, she would’ve rushed in, not gone in the living room.”
But the mum told us: “He knew I was in because I was in talking to them before they went to bed.
“And he’s right – I would have barged in if I’d realised what was going on.
“The next morning he was shifty and left, saying he had to go. I knew something wasn’t right, but I didn’t know it was rape.” The mum says her daughter was repeatedly intimidated by Bryson after lodging a police complaint. She dropped her claim – but police reinvestigated after a second woman came forward alleging rape.
Bryson was convicted of both attacks and will be sentenced next month.
The mum said of her daughter: “It’s had a big effect on her. She struggles, but she’s got a lot of support. Once he’s sentenced, she’ll be able to move on.
“She was having to relive it again after starting to get over it and it was horrendous watching her so upset. But she’s happy now he’s in jail and she’s safe – and so are others.
“He’s a creep. If he was to drop down dead, I’d be happy… and I really don’t feel good about saying that.”
The Scottish Conservatives have said First Minister Nicola Sturgeon should step in to prevent the transfer of another transgender prisoner to a female jail. Tiffany Scott stalked a 13-year-old girl while known as Andrew Burns and has repeatedly asked to move prisons.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
