Scottish man is first to be charged with transgender prejudice
A soldier has become the first person in Scotland to be convicted of an offence motivated by transphobia.
Terry Porter, 19, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear and alarm and also admitted that the offence was aggravated by prejudice towards transgender status.
STV reports that the incident took place on May 8th at Whyte Place, Milnathort, while Porter was out celebrating being accepted into the Army.
The court was told that he targeted transgender woman Chloe Dow, calling her a “freak” and a “mutant”.
Porter forced his way into the house where she was sleeping, elbowed her and threatened to punch her.
He is said to have shouted: “Get up or I’ll drag you out or knock you out. You’re a mutant, a f*****g mutant. What a state. Why would you want to dress like that? You look like a freak.”
Ms Dow, who is part-way through her transition, was said to be “extremely distressed” when police arrived at her home.
Porter was arrested a few hours later.
His solicitor Peter O’Neill said his client was “immature” and wanted to apologise to everyone involved.
Sheriff Michael Fletcher, who described the incident as “nasty” and “extremely unpleasant”, fined Porter £200 for breach of the peace, plus an extra £150 for the transgender prejudice.
