
Five London teenagers have admitted to causing “grievous bodily harm with intent” in a trial for the brutal stabbing of a young trans woman in February last year.
Prosecutors called the incident a “brutal, unprovoked transphobic hate crime.”
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Four charged in “shocking, brutal, unprovoked” stabbing of transgender girl
The victim was on her way with friends to a roller-skating party.
The five friends turned on a member of their group after she engaged in oral sex with one of them and it was revealed she was trans. The victim, 18 at the time, was lured to a parking lot where she was attacked and stabbed 14 times.
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Bradley Harris, 18; Summer Betts-Ramsey, 20; Camron Osei, 18; Shiloh Hindes, 18; and an unnamed 17-year-old boy face sentencing this week for the crime.
Prosecutor Deanna Heer recounted in court proceedings that the unnamed victim was with Harris at his home in January last year when a mutual friend called to say she was “trans.”
“Having been attacked in the past because of her transgender identity, she denied it,” Heer told the court.
She and Harris then kissed, Heer said, and the young woman performed oral sex on him.
While she was still with Harris, another friend confirmed by phone the woman was a “tr**ny,” the prosecutor said, repeating the transphobic slur.
The victim again denied it, but Harris grabbed a knife and threatened, ‘I’ll stab you if you lie,” wielding the weapon at her genital area. She admitted she was transgender and Harris demanded she leave.
When Harris recounted the incident for the group on Snapchat, they turned on her, Heer said, with Betts-Ramsey threatening to stab the woman.
In an extended exchange on the app, the woman asked the group when they would be meeting next. Harris responded, “(I’m) not your mate… you tr**ny.”
Other members of the group encouraged a fight between the victim and Betts-Ramsey, Heer said, but it was “all a ruse” to attack her.
Prior to the stabbing, evidence revealed Betts-Ramsey told someone, “I have to go to Harrow to beat up some… a f**king tr**ny bro.”
On February 10, Heer said, the victim left her home after being invited to a roller disco birthday party with the group. Her former friends were lying in wait at a bus stop dressed in dark clothing, masked and hooded.
As the young woman approached a nearby parking lot, she was “immediately attacked,” Heer said. She was thrown to the ground and Betts-Ramsey stabbed her at least 14 times. As he did, the others kicked and punched the victim repeatedly for nearly a minute before fleeing the scene, according to the victim and shocked witnesses.
Paramedics found she’d suffered multiple stab wounds and had a weak pulse. She spent two days at a local hospital.
Following the assault, members of the group bragged about the attack and posted video of the incident on social media, Heer said.
The unnamed 17-year-old attacker sent the victim a message reading, “Ur lookin sweet.”
At least one friend in the group’s wider circle called out the attackers.
“Stabbing a girl cus she’s trans… its disgusting,” to which Betts-Ramsey replied, “IT deserved it.”
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