Woman who posed as a man to dupe female into 'sexual relationship' found guilty
A woman has been found guilty of duping another female into having a “two-year sexual relationship” by pretending to be a man.
Blade Silvano, 40, is facing a 'substantial' jail term after being convicted of two counts of sexual assault against an unnamed female victim.
The court heard Silvano tricked her into having sexual intercourse on at least two occasions by using an 'unknown object' that the victim thought was "her penis". The couple even discussed marriage.
The defendant hid her true gender by always wearing a t-shirt and boxers, turning the light off and never allowing the victim to see or touch "her genitalia," the trial was told.
The couple also messaged and 'sexted' every day for nearly two years, and had even started planning a wedding.
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The pair met online in 2016 when Silvano posted her status on Plenty of Fish as a "man looking for a woman" (James Linsell-Clark SWNS)
The 40-year-old was found guilty at Cambridge Crown court (James Linsell-Clark SWNS)But the jury heard they only met physically on a few occasions as Silvano had 'lied' about having cancer and being in the British Army.
A jury unanimously found her guilty of two charges of sexual assault by penetration on Tuesday (23/05) after a trial at Cambridge Crown Court.
She was remanded in custody ahead of her sentencing after an application for bail from her defence was rejected by the judge and told her to expect a "substantial" custodial sentence.
His Honour Judge Philip Grey said he could not grant her bail after he said she gave "some of the most dishonest evidence I've ever heard on my time on the bench."
He added: "Now, you've been convicted, it is inevitable you are facing a lengthy custodial sentence."
He told her she had been convicted of two "extremely serious offences" and described the evidence as "utterly, utterly overhwhelming."
Her sentence date will be fixed at the next hearing on 6 June when pre-sentence reports will be ordered.
During the trial, prosecutors said the pair met online in late 2016 when Silvano had posted her status on Plenty of Fish as a "man looking for a woman" so matched with the victim who was searching the opposite.
They first met in person in December that year and 'kissed' before going on to have 'intercourse'.
Giving evidence, the victim, who referred to Silvano as a "he" throughout her evidence, said she thought she was having sex with a man called Blade Mendez - and had never consented to doing it with a female.
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The victim only found out the truth on social media (Getty Images/EyeEm)She added: "When we had sex, Blade would usually blindfold me and I was never allowed to look at the penetration occurring.
"He would never allow me to go near his genital region and I never saw his penis."
She said she was "able to move my hands freely down the side and his back but added: "I was never able to put my hands underneath his clothes or down his boxers."
She added: "He would rebuff me every time I tried to make an advance; he would nudge me away.
"He was using sex toys on me; it was not allowed the other way round."
"He told me he was a man and it was on that basis I agreed to have sex with him."
She added: "He didn't tell me he was female but he penetrated me with something - and I haven't consented to it."
Silvano, of Bishop's Castle, Shropshire, had denied ever meeting the victim and said they had an 'online relationship' only that was all about 'roleplay' and 'fantasy.'
She said the thousands of messages between them was all part of the fantasy, as was the planned wedding, which had seen a registrar booked and the defendant going wedding dress shopping with her sister.
Giving evidence, Silvano claimed she was 'open' about her gender from the beginning and, although medically a 'woman' on her birth certificate, didn't define herself this way.
She told the jury she was 'pansexual' and would often use the title 'Doctor' which she claimed she was entitled to do after completing an online PHD in ancient Greek history.
Giving her evidence, she accepted the couple had strong feelings for each other but added: "She knew I was female, again it was the roleplay.
"We were both having problems at home and it was like our escapism."
The trial also heard details of thousands of messages sent between the couple, including ones referring to ones referring to her as a "big strong handsome guy."
She told cops: "This was our roleplay - she wanted that. It doesn't mean it actually happened. She can tell I'm not male. Her referring to me as a man is roleplay.
"She knew from the start."
Silvano acknowledged they had spoken about a wedding but tried to claim it was "not in the real world."
She also said she had a number of ongoing health issues but although she had been tested for cancer accepted she had never been diagnosed with it.
She claimed the breakdown in contact came when the alleged victim discovered she was already in another serious relationship through Facebook in 2018 and wanted to report her to the police as an act of "revenge."
Quizzing, the defendant, prosecution barrister Michael Hillman told her: "It was roleplay only for you, as she believed every word you said.
"She was head over heels in love with you and you exploited that with your constant lies, stringing her along.
"And you did that because you got a kick out of it, stringing this woman along - holding you out to be someone you are not."
Silvano will next appear in court on 6 June when her sentencing date will be fixed.
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