Robber carried out 'humiliating' sex assault on victim after discovering he had targeted transgender victim

Luke Anderson was jailed for more than four years after a court heard he humiliated and taunted the victim when he realised he had targeted a male dressed in women's clothing.

Anderson robbed the student as she made her way home from a night out in Leeds city centre at 4am on December 9, 2018.

The defendant grabbed the victim in an alleyway near to Brewery Wharf and made threats with his clenched fist.

Anderson yelled in the victim's face and demanded money but she told him that she did not have any.

He then punched the victim in the face, causing bleeding, and told her not to contact police.

Anderson then searched the victim's bag for a mobile phone but could not find one.

He grabbed the student by the chest and forced her to the ground.

Jonathan Sharp, prosecuting, said: "The defendant realised that (the victim), who identifies as a woman and was dressed as a woman, had male genitalia."

Mr Sharp said Anderson then carried out a sexual assault based on his hostility towards the victim's gender identity..

He said: "He demanded to know if she was gay and why she was dressed as a woman."

Anderson touched the victim's backside and forced his hand inside her underwear.

The victim fought back and kicked out at Anderson. She also put her thumbs in his eyes during the struggle.

Anderson continued the attack, saying: "You are a feisty one."

The victim managed to break free but Anderson caught up with her and stole her wallet.

Anderson was arrested after his DNA was recovered from the victim's clothing.

He pleaded guilty to robbery and sexual assault.

The court heard Anderson has previous convictions for robbing lone females at night in Leeds city centre

In a statement given after the attack, the victim said: "I genuinely believed that I was going to die.

"I was completely powerless and in complete fear."

Richard Reed, mitigating, said Anderson committed the offence after he had been drinking and taking crack cocaine.

Mr Reed said Anderson was under financial pressure at the time because his partner was pregnant.

The barrister said: "It was never intended to be a sexual assault.

"It has caused him considerable embarrassment. He has never been involved in a sexual assault on a male or a female.

"Had he not been intoxicated at the time this would not have happened."

Judge Robin Mairs jailed Anderson for four years and five months.

The judge told the defendant he believed the sexual assault was based on hostility towards the victim's gender identity.

He said "You realised it was a man dressed as a woman and you began to humiliate her."