Transgender girl lured to roller skating party before being stabbed repeatedly 'in revenge for lying about gender’
16 January 2025, 08:38
A woman who was stabbed, punched and kicked in a transphobic assault planned on Snapchat is still living "in fear" after the attack, a court has heard.
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The then 18-year-old transgender woman was set upon by a group of mask-wearing youths who lured her into a car park after inviting her to a roller disco.
The attackers had turned on the woman after one of the group was told she was trans after having a sexual relationship with her, the sentencing hearing was told.
Angry about the incident, other members of the group set about creating a ruse to "beat her up" in Harrow, north-west London.
The woman told the court she now finds it "difficult to trust people", and has "thick scars" as a result of her injuries.
Summer Betts-Ramsey, 20, Bradley Harris, 18, Camron Osei, 18, Shiloh Hindes, 18, and a 17-year-old boy have admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Read more: Damning report reveals NHS patients 'dying in corridors and going undiscovered for hours'
Additionally, Betts-Ramsey has admitted possession of a knife, and a 17-year-old girl has admitted robbing the woman's handbag after the attack, and possession of a class B drug.
In January 2024, the woman was with Harris at his house, and while there, a mutual friend called Harris telling him she was "trans".
"Having been attacked in the past because of her transgender identity, she denied it," prosecutor Deanna Heer KC told the Old Bailey.
She and Harris then kissed, and she performed oral sex on him, the court heard.
Soon afterwards, another friend told Harris that the woman was a "tranny", the prosecutor said.
She denied it again, but when Harris picked up a knife and said, "I'll stab you if you lie", she felt intimidated and admitted that she was transgender before Harris told her to leave.
When Harris told the group she had lied to him, they turned on her, Ms Heer said.
The Snapchat group, which the youths were a part of, descended into arguing, and Betts-Ramsey threatened to stab the woman.
When the woman asked the group when they would be next meeting, Harris responded: "(I'm) not your mate... you tranny".
Other members of the group encouraged the woman to arrange a fight with Betts-Ramsey, but Ms Heer said it was "all a ruse" to attack her.
Phone evidence revealed that during a call, Betts-Ramsey told someone: "I have to go to Harrow to beat up some... a f****** tranny bro."
On February 10, the woman left her home, believing she was 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 hoods, and were waiting for her at the bus stop.
Once at a nearby car park, she was "immediately attacked", and she had no time to say anything or do anything to defend herself, the court was told.
Once she was on the ground, Betts-Ramsey took out a knife and stabbed towards her at least 14 times.
As Betts-Ramsey was stabbing 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 woman, and an ambulance was called.
When they arrived, ambulance staff found she had suffered a number of stab wounds and had a weak pulse, and she was taken to hospital, the court heard.
Members of the group bragged about the assault later, posting footage on social media, Ms Heer said.
The 17-year-old boy sent the woman a message which said "Ur lookin sweet", the court was told.
That night, a message was sent to Betts-Ramsey which said: "stabbing a girl cus she's trans... its disgusting", to which Betts-Ramsey replied: "IT deserved it".
In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman said she still has "thick scars" as a result of the attack.
"I find it difficult to trust people," she said.
"I'm always in fear of leaving my house.
"I never thought someone could have so much hatred towards me."
The woman said she had suffered panic attacks since the incident, and has struggled to sleep, adding that she fears she might not be able to work as a model thanks to her injuries.
The sentencing hearing continues today.
