A trans-identified male in Belfast, Northern Ireland, has been convicted of unlawfully possessing a knife following an altercation with his neighbor, during which he threatened the man for referring to him by his birth name.
Michelle James was first arrested in December 2024 on a charge of threats to kill. James had called police himself, and officers responding to the residence learned that he had planned to use a knife on either himself or a man living nearby due to ongoing issues between them. James contacted emergency services to complain about the neighbor, accusing him of “torturing” him with transphobic remarks.
According to the Belfast Telegraph, prosecutors informed the court that James had told police he would “stab the neighbor and feel happy.”
Defense barrister Sean Doherty said the two parties had got along well for some time, but the relationship eventually deteriorated. Doherty stated that James had confided in the neighbor about certain details of his birth identity, which the neighbor then used to “bully” him. James, who has been active in the local trans activist community, took particular exception to being referred to by his birth name or “dead name.”
Speaking outside court last week, James told Sunday Life that he had been “tortured” by his neighbor, who repeatedly called him a “boy” and “man.”
James was remanded to pre-trial custody at Maghaberry Prison, a men’s facility, but his legal representatives launched an emergency application for him to be transferred to the women’s prison estate at Hydebank Wood Prison.
The application argued that Northern Ireland’s Department of Justice (NIDOJ) policy regarding transgender prisoners was unclear and inconsistently applied, leaving James “vulnerable” and without appropriate safeguards. They also indicated their intention to seek a judicial review of the Department’s broader approach.
The application was ultimately successful after the NIDOJ accepted that there was a lack of clear policy guidelines in place for transgender prisoners and authorized the transfer. A further hearing in the matter is expected later this year, with potential implications for how transgender inmates are accommodated across Northern Ireland.
In January, James was released on bail pending further proceedings.
On November 6, James pleaded guilty to one charge of possessing an offensive weapon. Charges of making threats to kill and of threatening or abusive behavior were withdrawn. Just two days later, he appeared in court again for violating the conditions of his bail.
The case has been adjourned pending the completion of pre-sentence reports, and James is expected to be sentenced next month.
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