Transgender rapist Isla Bryson jailed for eight years for attacks on two women when she was a man
A transgender double rapist whose case sparked a public outcry has been jailed for eight years.
Isla Bryson, 31, who was last month found guilty of raping two women while a man – will also serve three years on licence.
During sentencing, Lord Scott noted that Bryson continues to “vehemently deny” that she committed either of the offences and claims the victims “colluded” against her.
Lord Scott stated: “You see yourself as the victim in this case. You are not.”
A trial at the High Court in Glasgow heard Bryson attacked one victim in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, in 2016, and another in Drumchapel, Glasgow, in 2019.
She met both her victims online, with prosecutors saying she “preyed” on vulnerable women.
Bryson, of Clydebank, denied the charges, telling the court she “would never hurt another human being” and claimed both victims consented to having sex.
The judge accepted that Bryson is considered “vulnerable in some ways” due to adverse childhood experiences, but added: “Your vulnerability is no excuse at all for what you did to those two women in 2016 and 2019.”
Bryson is currently deemed to be at “high risk” of reoffending.
As well as the jail term – backdated to 24 January – and extended supervision, Bryson has also been placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.
Bryson’s bail was revoked following conviction and she was remanded in custody pending sentencing to allow Lord Scott to gather “as much information as possible”.
The Scottish Prison Service’s (SPS) decision to initially house Bryson in segregation at Cornton Vale, Scotland’s only all-female jail, led to backlash from the public and politicians.
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Bryson was moved to the male estate within days and an urgent case review was ordered by Justice Secretary Keith Brown.
The review – which has not been fully shared by the SPS due to data protection reasons – concluded that women were not at risk from harm as a consequence of the management of Bryson.
It was also stated that Bryson did not come into contact with any other inmates during her time at Cornton Vale near Stirling.
Bryson arriving at the High Court in Glasgow last month
At the Criminal Justice Committee meeting last week, SPS chief executive Teresa Medhurst was questioned over the controversial case.
Scottish Labour’s Katy Clark said “we do need answers” over how Bryson ended up at Cornton Vale.
Ms Medhurst explained that at the time of admission to the prison estate “extremely limited information” is available on the inmate as there is no time for a multi-disciplinary case conference so a “best case decision” is taken.
In regards to Bryson’s placement, Ms Medhurst said the decision was taken in conjunction with SPS headquarters.
When pressed further on who made the decision, she added: “I’m not at liberty to say.”
Until the wider SPS Gender Identity and Gender Reassignment (GIGR) Policy Review is complete, any transgender person in custody who has a history of violence against women – including sexual offences – will not be relocated from the male to female estate.
Additionally, newly convicted or remanded transgender prisoners will be placed in an establishment that aligns with their gender at birth.
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Nicola Sturgeon was questioned by Sky News over the row surrounding transgender prisoners
Following Bryson’s conviction, one victim said she was sure the accused was “faking it” and had chosen to change gender as “an easy way out” after the rapes.
Bryson’s estranged wife also reportedly stated it was a “sham for attention”.
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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been pressed on the case in light of the Scottish government’s Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which was subsequently blocked by the UK government.
Despite agreeing that Bryson’s transgender claim is “almost certainly” a sham, Ms Sturgeon said she didn’t have enough information to say whether Bryson was a man or a woman.
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SNP leadership hopeful Kate Forbes believes Isla Bryson is a man
However, in an interview with Sky News, SNP leadership hopeful Kate Forbes stated: “A rapist cannot be a woman and therefore my straight answer would be that Isla Bryson is a man.”
During the trial, Bryson spoke of identifying as female at the age of four but did not make the decision to transition until age 29.
Defending, Edward Targowski KC stated that Bryson still intends to proceed with gender reassignment surgery and the health service will accommodate her situation. However, Bryson faces years on a waiting list for the surgery.
Nigel Farage has told Sky News he “can’t be pushed or bullied” by anybody after Elon Musk said the Reform MP “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead his party.
In an interview with Sky’s political correspondent Ali Fortescue, Mr Farage said he has spoken with the billionaire owner of X since his criticism on 5 January, when Mr Musk said: “The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.”
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Asked if the pair are still friends, Mr Farage said: “Of course we’re friends. He just says what he thinks at any moment in time.”
He added he has “been in touch” with Mr Musk, though wouldn’t divulge what they had discussed.
“Look, he said lots of supportive things. He said one thing that wasn’t supportive. I mean, that’s just the way it is,” Mr Farage said.
Musk and Farage met in December. Pic: PA
Asked if he was afraid to criticise the tech mogul, the Clacton MP said the situation was “the opposite”, and he openly disagreed with Mr Musk on his views on far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Mr Farage said: “What he [Musk] was saying online was that effectively Tommy Robinson was a political prisoner and I wouldn’t go along with that.
“If I had gone along with that, he wouldn’t have put out a tweet that was against me.
“By the way, you know, I can’t be pushed or bullied or made to change by anybody.
“I stick to what I believe.”
Mr Musk has endorsed Robinson and claimed he was “telling the truth” about grooming gangs, writing on X: “Free Tommy Robinson”.
But Mr Farage said that Robinson, who is serving an 18-month jail term for contempt of court, isn’t welcome in Reform UK and neither are his supporters.
He said: “If people within Reform think Tommy Robinson should be a member of Reform and play a central role in Reform, that disagreement is absolutely fundamental.
“I’ve never wanted to work with people who were active in the BNP. I’ve made that clear right throughout the last decade of my on/off political career. So that’s what the point of difference is.”
Despite their disagreement, Mr Farage said he is confident Mr Musk will continue to support Reform and “may well” still give money to it.
The entrepreneur has previously spoken positively about Reform UK and there have been suggestions he could make a multi-million-pound donation in its favour.
Devolution plans ‘denial of democracy’
Mr Farage was speaking from Reform’s South East of England Conference, one of a series of regional events aimed at building up the party’s support base.
Elsewhere in the interview, he hit out at the Labour government’s devolution plans which could see some local elections scheduled for May postponed.
This would apply when councils seek permission to reorganise, so that smaller district authorities merge with other nearby ones to give them more sway over their area.
Mr Farage, who is hoping to make gains in the spring contests, claimed the plans are not about devolution but about “elections being cancelled”.
“I thought only dictators cancelled elections. This is unbelievable and devolution or a change to local government structures is being used as an excuse,” he said.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage earlier this month. Pic: PA
He claimed Tory-controlled councils are “grabbing it like it’s a life belt”, because they fear losing seats to Reform.
“It’s an absolute denial of democracy,” he added.
Mr Farage was also asked why many Reform members don’t like to speak on camera about why they support his party.
He said he did not accept there was a toxicity associated with Reform and claimed there was “institutional bias against anybody that isn’t left of centre”.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and divers have been dispatched to find two sisters who vanished in Aberdeen three days ago.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV in the city’s Market Street at Victoria Bridge at about 2.12am on Tuesday.
The siblings were captured crossing the bridge and turning right onto a footpath next to the River Dee in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Police Scotland has launched a major search and said it is carrying out “extensive inquires” in an effort to find the women.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Local officers, led by specialist search advisors, are being assisted by resources including police dogs and our marine unit.”
Aberdeenshire Drone Services told Sky News it has offered to help in the search and is waiting to hear back from Police Scotland.
CCTV of the sisters. Pic: Police Scotland
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The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Police said the Torry side of Victoria Bridge where the sisters were last seen contains many commercial and industrial units, with searches taking place in the vicinity.
The force urged businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review CCTV footage recorded in the early hours of Tuesday in case it captured anything of significance.
Drivers with relevant dashcam footage are also urged to come forward.
CI Bruce added: “We are continuing to speak to people who know Eliza and Henrietta and we urge anyone who has seen them or who has any information regarding their whereabouts to please contact 101.”
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