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Transgender girl stabbed by Snapchat gang, court hears
The victim, then 18, was attacked by masked youths after allegedly lying about her gender.
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A transgender girl was stabbed several times by a group of masked youths after lying about her gender and then performing a sexual act on a child, a court has heard.
The girl, who was 18 at the time, was lured to a car park in Harrow, north-west London, after being invited to a nightclub, the Old Bailey said.
The attackers targeted the girl after a boy discovered she was transgender after having sex with her, the court heard.
'It's hard to trust people'
Other members of the group devised a scheme to "beat her up", prosecutors said.
The girl told the court she now had "difficulties trusting people" and had "big scars" from her injuries. Summer Betts-Ramsey, 20, Bradley Harris, 18, Camron Osei, 18, Shiloh Hindes, 18, and a 17-year-old boy admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Betts-Ramsey also admitted being in possession of a knife and a 17-year-old girl admitted stealing the girl's purse after the attack and being in possession of a class A drug.
In January 2024, the girl was with Harris at her home and while she was there, a mutual friend called Harris to say she was "trans".
"Having been attacked in the past because of her transgender identity, she denied it," prosecutor Deanna Heer KC told the jury.
She and Harris then kissed and she performed oral sex on him, the court heard. Shortly after, another friend told Harris that the girl was a "transsexual," the prosecutor said. "I'll stab you if you lie."
She again denied it, but when Harris pulled out a knife and said, "I'll stab you if you lie," she felt intimidated and admitted she was transgender before Harris told her to leave.
When Harris told the group that she had lied to him, they turned on her, Ms. Heer said.
The Snapchat group, which included the young men, got into an argument and Betts-Ramsey threatened to stab the girl.
When the girl asked the group when they would meet again, Harris replied, "(I) am not your friend ... you transsexual." Other members of the group encouraged the girl to pick a fight with Betts-Ramsey, but Ms Heer said it was "a trick" to attack her.
Telephone evidence revealed that during one call, Betts-Ramsey told someone: "I'm going to Harrow to beat up a... ugly transsexual brother."
On February 10, the girl left her home, believed to be going to a roller skating event with the group, the court heard.
Betts-Ramsey, from Barnet, Harris, from Harrow, Osei, from Tadworth, Surrey, Hindes, from Southwark, and the 17-year-old boy were all dressed in dark clothing, with masks and bangs and were waiting at the bus stop.
"Suddenly attacked"
Once in a nearby parking lot, she was "suddenly attacked" and had no time to say anything or do anything to defend herself, she told the court. Once on the ground, Betts-Ramsey pulled out a knife and stabbed her at least 14 times.
While Betts-Ramsey stabbed her, the others continued to attack her with kicks and punches for about 45 seconds before the group left the scene, the prosecutor said.
Members of the public helped the girl and an ambulance was called.
When medics arrived, they found she had suffered multiple stab wounds and had a weak pulse, and she was taken to hospital, the court heard.
Members of the group later bragged about the attack, posting footage on social media, Ms Heer said. The 17-year-old sent the girl a message that read: "You're beautiful," the court heard.
That night, a message was sent to Betts-Ramsey that read, "stabbing a girl because she's trans... that's disgusting," to which Betts-Ramsey replied: "She deserved it."
The trial continues.
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