A transgender woman who stabbed her vulnerable victim before tying her to a chair and demanding cash has been jailed for life. Zara Jade, 54, attacked her victim at a Halifax flat last year and left her tied up while she went to an ATM.
Jade admitted offences of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, robbery, fraud and false imprisonment at Bradford Crown Court. She was jailed for nine years with an extended licence period of three years.
The injuries inflicted were described as 'superficial' by prosecutor Lydia Pearce, who said Jade then took cash from the victim and also demanded her PIN number. Jade used tights to tie her victim into an electrically-powered chair, set in the recline position.
A district nurse reported the incident to the police after seeing the victim's wounds a few days later, leading to Jade's arrest. Jade, who the court heard was transitioning, knew what she did was wrong and would be punished, according to defence barrister Richard Canning. He added Jade had struggled with alcohol and had made 'bad decisions' while in drink.
At Monday's hearing, Deputy Circuit Judge Timothy Clayson said Jade's victim had serious health issues and was particularly vulnerable. He said the offences showed that Jade was willing to behave in a 'callous and cruel' way towards a vulnerable victim, although she was apologetic the next morning.
Judge Clayson was told that back in 1988 Jade had been locked up for five years for rape and other sexual offences and in 2013 she had been jailed again for another sexual matter. Jade will now have to serve two-thirds of a nine year jail sentence and she will then be subject to an extended licence period of three years. Jade will serve her sentence in a male prison, after new rules banning some transgender women from female prisons in England and Wales came into force last month.
