News / Crime
Bristol Pride back transgender prison appeal
Bristol Pride festival have added to calls for a transgender prisoner to be transferred out of the all-male Bristol Prison.
The festival’s director Daryn Carter said magistrates must reverse their decision to place Tara Hudson – assigned male at birth, but who has lived her adult life as a woman – in Horfield following an assault conviction.
Campaigners have already warned that Hudson, who was convicted of a Boxing Day assault in Bath, could be targeted by inmates in Bristol because of her gender.
Hudson has undergone six years of gender reassignment treatment, including hormone injections and reconstructive chest surgery.
It has been reported that Hudson has been sent to Bristol Prison, where she will serve her 12-week conviction, as her passport says she is male.
Carter said Hudson may not have a Gender Recognition Certificate, but called on the courts to take a “common sense” approach.
“This is clearly sensitive issue but there is guidance available from the Home Office on this matter and yet Bath Magistrates have decided to sentence Tara, a woman, to a male prison,” he said.
He added he was pleased to see the campaign to get Hudson transferred had the support of the public. “The general public can clearly see that Tara does not belong in a male prison so we are calling on Bath Magistrates to use some common sense, regardless of the absence of a certificate,” he said.
A petition to get Hudson moved to a women’s prison launched with the support of her mother, Jackie Brooklyn, had gathered over 5,000 signatures in 24 hours.
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