Accused: Gayle Newland arriving at Chester Crown Court this
morning
morning
Interesting read. A woman bandaged her body and used a
prosthetic penis in order to trick a naive female university student into
believing she was a man, a court heard.
Gayle Newland, 25, is said to have befriended the woman,
also 25, by posing on Facebook as a man named ‘Kye’ and the couple later had
sex in hotels in Chester, Greater Manchester.
also 25, by posing on Facebook as a man named ‘Kye’ and the couple later had
sex in hotels in Chester, Greater Manchester.
Newland allegedly bound her chest and wore a woolly hat and
swimsuit to disguise her appearance, telling the woman he was self-conscious
about ‘his’ appearance after hospital treatment.
swimsuit to disguise her appearance, telling the woman he was self-conscious
about ‘his’ appearance after hospital treatment.
The alleged victim said had agreed to follow ‘rules’ which
included not touching Kye’s ‘penis’ and wearing a blindfold but ‘believed she
was having sex with a male’, Chester Crown Court heard.
included not touching Kye’s ‘penis’ and wearing a blindfold but ‘believed she
was having sex with a male’, Chester Crown Court heard.
Newland, of Cheshire, denies five counts of sexual assault
which are alleged to have taken place between February and June, 2013, when
they were both students at the University of Chester.
which are alleged to have taken place between February and June, 2013, when
they were both students at the University of Chester.
Hailing it ‘undoubtedly an unusual case’, prosecutor Matthew
Corbett-Jones said the alleged assaults took place against ‘what on the face of
it is a fairly extraordinary background’.
Corbett-Jones said the alleged assaults took place against ‘what on the face of
it is a fairly extraordinary background’.
Newland set up a Facebook profile under the alias of ‘Kye
Fortune’ and sent the alleged victim a friend request in 2011, telling her that
he knew of her through a mutual friend, the court heard.
Fortune’ and sent the alleged victim a friend request in 2011, telling her that
he knew of her through a mutual friend, the court heard.
As their relationship developed, the alleged victim made a
number of requests to meet in person, but each was met by Kye with ‘repeated
excuses’.
number of requests to meet in person, but each was met by Kye with ‘repeated
excuses’.
And during their telephone conversations, Kye is said to
have dismissed his high-pitched voice as a result of his Filipino heritage.
have dismissed his high-pitched voice as a result of his Filipino heritage.
When the couple finally met at The Dene Hotel, Chester, on
February 22, 2013, Newland, posing as Kye, is said to have insisted the alleged
victim wore a blindfold, claiming he was insecure about his appearance
following an accident.
February 22, 2013, Newland, posing as Kye, is said to have insisted the alleged
victim wore a blindfold, claiming he was insecure about his appearance
following an accident.
The prosecution say that Newland wore a swimming costume
with bandages binding her chest and a hat to conceal her hair, maintaining the
outfit was necessary because of the injuries.
with bandages binding her chest and a hat to conceal her hair, maintaining the
outfit was necessary because of the injuries.
The two then had sex with Newland using a prosthetic penis
without the alleged victim’s knowledge, it is claimed.
without the alleged victim’s knowledge, it is claimed.
Mr Corbett-Jones said that ‘at no time’ did the woman
consent to sex with the use of a prosthetic and in so doing, ‘the defendant
sexually assaulted’ her.
consent to sex with the use of a prosthetic and in so doing, ‘the defendant
sexually assaulted’ her.
The pair went on to meet and have sex at a Travelodge in
Chester and at the alleged victim’s home in the city.
Chester and at the alleged victim’s home in the city.
When the alleged victim became unhappy in the relationship
and tried to break up, Kye messaged her saying he would kill himself, it was
heard.
and tried to break up, Kye messaged her saying he would kill himself, it was
heard.
He told her his foster mother had died and that he believed
his foster father had played a role in her death, and that he needed to see
her.
his foster father had played a role in her death, and that he needed to see
her.
She agreed to meet him at her flat on June 30 and the couple
had sex again but this time she became suspicious and removed her blindfold for
the first time.
had sex again but this time she became suspicious and removed her blindfold for
the first time.
The woman claimed it was only then she realised she was in
bed with a woman. She unsuccessfully tried to call the police and a struggle
followed before she fled the property.
bed with a woman. She unsuccessfully tried to call the police and a struggle
followed before she fled the property.
Later that day, police were called to a canal bridge in
Mollington, Cheshire, from where Newland had apparently jumped.
Mollington, Cheshire, from where Newland had apparently jumped.
Underneath her clothes, she was wearing what appeared to be
a swimming costume and had a woolly hat with her.
a swimming costume and had a woolly hat with her.
On July 3, the alleged victim went to the police and Newland
was arrested the following day but declined to give her account of what had
taken place.
was arrested the following day but declined to give her account of what had
taken place.
The alleged victim told police: ‘I know it sounds pathetic,
but I was just so happy at the time because I was in love with this person and
we’d built this beautiful relationship.
but I was just so happy at the time because I was in love with this person and
we’d built this beautiful relationship.
‘It was just based on, you know, our minds and all the other
things that we had in common so I just felt grateful that I’d finally got a
proper relationship.’
things that we had in common so I just felt grateful that I’d finally got a
proper relationship.’
During the course of the relationship, the prosecution say
that Newland even sent the alleged victim a ring as Kye and declared a wish to
marry her one day.
that Newland even sent the alleged victim a ring as Kye and declared a wish to
marry her one day.
Newland claims that her alleged victim knew she was in fact
a woman and that they were both ‘going along with some sort of fantasy’ that
she was Kye, explained Mr Corbett-Jones.
a woman and that they were both ‘going along with some sort of fantasy’ that
she was Kye, explained Mr Corbett-Jones.
He invited the jury to consider how ‘gullible or naive’ they
consider the alleged victim is.
consider the alleged victim is.
‘It is unquestionably the case that if what she says is
true, she is by her nature a very gullible, and I hope she will forgive me for
saying so, naive person,’ he added.
true, she is by her nature a very gullible, and I hope she will forgive me for
saying so, naive person,’ he added.
The trial continues.
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