Tanya Howes

On 19 February 2020, Tanya Howes, a 66-year-old transgender woman and former prison worker, was found in possession of indecent images of children, including 39 category A images—the most serious classification—along with 100 grossly offensive extreme pornographic images and videos. Howes, identified as female in court documents and referred to with female pronouns, admitted to three charges of possessing indecent images of children and one charge of possessing extreme pornography at an earlier hearing.

The case, which attracted significant public and media attention due to Howes' transgender status, faced multiple delays to determine appropriate prison housing. An adjournment was granted following an application by the Norfolk Probation Service to complete necessary reports, including a referral to the Transgender Case Board established in 2017 to manage the location and care of transgender prisoners. This process was complicated by new government policies introduced earlier in 2023, which banned trans women with male genitalia who are convicted of violent or sexual offences from serving sentences in female prisons, except in exceptional cases approved by ministers. Those unable to be accommodated in men's prisons may be placed in specialist units. The delays were partly influenced by the high-profile case of Isla Bryson in Scotland, a trans woman convicted of raping two women, whose initial placement in a female jail sparked widespread controversy and led to policy changes.

At Norwich Magistrates' Court on 4 July 2023, magistrates acknowledged the severity of the offences, with chair Ian Taylor stating: 'These offences would normally attract immediate custody. However, because of the time lag, no reoffending and because probation feel they can rehabilitate you it’s going to be an unusual sentence because we’re going to suspend the sentence.' Taylor emphasised the seriousness, adding that children had been 'subjected to horrific acts.' Despite the typical sentencing range for category A images being six months to three years in prison, Howes received a total of 12 months' imprisonment, suspended for two years. Mitigating, Damien Moore noted Howes' lack of previous convictions, her early guilty plea, high cooperation with probation, and personal circumstances, stating: 'This case has attracted publicity that has inevitably had consequences for her in her personal life. It’s very, very clear that she will forever more have to live with the shame and embarrassment that these offences bring upon someone.' Moore also mentioned that at the time of the offences, Howes was in a 'very dark place' but was now in a stable relationship with family support.

In addition to the suspended sentence, Howes was ordered to complete up to 30 days of rehabilitation activity, pay £145 in costs and a £149 victim surcharge, and was made subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. She was also placed on the sex offenders' register for 10 years. The sentencing drew criticism from Conservative MEP David Campbell Bannerman, who described it as 'unduly lenient' and called for a review, arguing it was unrelated to her transgender identity but due to the nature of the offences. The case was reported by The Telegraph on 5 July 2023, highlighting ongoing debates around transgender prisoners and sexual offence sentencing.