Stephanie Hayden (left), a trans woman, was repeatedly misgendered in online abuse by Katherine Scottow. (Twitter/MailOnline)
Stephanie Hayden, a trans woman who was called a “racist” and a “pig in a wig” during a campaign of online abuse, has won her case against Kate Scottow, the woman who targeted her.
Kate Scottow was found guilty of persistently making use of a public communications network to cause annoyance/inconvenience and anxiety to Hayden between September 2018 and May 2019 at St Albans Magistrates’ Court on February 14.
Hayden said during the trial that Scottow had made multiple Twitter accounts to send her anti-trans messages.
She told the court on the first day of the trial: “There were a number of tweets which were not only targeting me, they were targeting other people who were either transgender or who were perceived to be supportive of transgender people.
“When I observed the tweets that the defendant was referring to me in, the defendant was referring to me with male pronouns, he/him.
“This is the problem with these people, this is just done to annoy people like me. It is calculated to violate, in my case, my dignity as a woman. It is basically calculated to, excuse my language madam, p**s us off. It is unnecessary and it is just harassment.”
Scottow was given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £1,000 prosecution costs and a £21 victim surcharge.
Protesters holding anti-trans banners gathered outside the magistrates’ court during the hearing.
Stephanie Hayden wishes Kate Scottow “all the best for the future”.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Statement by Stephanie Hayden following the conviction of Katherine #Scottow for an offence contrary to s.127 Communications Act 2003 R v Katherine Scottow. #transgender #law #legal pic.twitter.com/WSGpsh5xz1
— Stephanie Hayden (@flyinglawyer73) February 14, 2020
Hayden released a statement after the guilty verdict, saying: “Today there are no winners. While I am satisfied with the outcome of the criminal prosecution, the fact remains that it should not have been necessary to ever complain to the police in the first place.
“Abusing and smearing transgender people online must stop. The media-led obsession and campaign of hate is encouraging people like Katherine Scottow to think they can target transgender people online with impunity.
“Today’s verdict demonstrates that such conduct has consequences that are potentially life-changing.
“I now wish to move on. With this in mind I wish Mrs Scottow all the best for the future and hope that she will learn from this experience.”
Reports on social media from those who know Scottow suggest that she will be appealing the verdict, but this has not been confirmed.