Isla Bryson: Former classmate of trans rapist feels 'violated'

A erstwhile classmate of transgender rapist Isla Bryson has said she feels "violated" aft learning of her crimes.

Louise Turner, 24, was paired with Bryson connected a quality people successful Ayrshire.

It meant Bryson - who astatine that constituent had been charged but not convicted of rape - practised applying fake tan and spray tan to Louise.

"I consciousness benignant of violated," she told BBC Scotland. "It really makes maine consciousness truthful sick".

Ms Turner and different erstwhile student, Rachel Ferguson, said they should person been told that Bryson was awaiting proceedings for 2 rape charges.

Bryson was recovered blameworthy connected Tuesday of raping 2 women successful 2016 and 2019 earlier she changed gender.

Bryson carried retired the attacks successful Clydebank and Glasgow portion she known arsenic Adam Graham.

When she aboriginal enrolled astatine the Ayrshire College successful 2021 she was known arsenic Annie, and remained determination for 3 months earlier being asked to leave.

Her classmates were astir exclusively pistillate and overmuch younger than Bryson, who is present 31.

Ayrshire College said it had nary cognition of the charges Bryson was facing erstwhile she was a pupil astatine its Kilwinning field for 3 months successful 2021.

Louise said she had been Bryson's person and spouse for the applicable elements of the class, which included learning however to use tans and transportation retired facials.

"She wasn't comfy with taking things off, truthful she did a batch of practising connected me," she said.

"But present that everything's travel retired I consciousness benignant of violated. It really makes maine consciousness truthful sick."

Ms Turner said she lone recovered retired astir the charges against Bryson past week.

She said Bryson made her consciousness uncomfortable connected a fig of occasions, including astatine Bryson's house.

"We were doing assemblage enactment unneurotic and she was conscionable getting excessively adjacent for comfortableness for me," she said.

"I conscionable felt similar thing was dormant disconnected and weird with her due to the fact that she was hopeless for maine to beryllium perpetually talking to her."

As Bryson was uncomfortable being practised on, Ms Turner demonstrated quality procedures connected different students.

"She would get jealous that I was moving with different radical and she would marque sly comments," she said.

"I conscionable got sick of it and it was arsenic if she turned against maine due to the fact that I worked with idiosyncratic other different than her.

"She was bullying me, she was being horrible to maine constantly, truthful I took it to idiosyncratic higher up."

Ms Turner said respective students raised concerns astir Bryson's behaviour and she was yet asked to leave.

"If we said thing she didn't like, she tried to accidental we were being transphobic," she said.

"We felt similar we couldn't accidental thing due to the fact that she would accidental we were being transphobic erstwhile we weren't astatine all."

Rachel Ferguson, 21, who was besides connected the people with Bryson, believes she should not person been allowed connected the course.

"Now we cognize that [Bryson] was charged successful 2019 and fto connected to the assemblage people successful 2021

"I conscionable consciousness sick adjacent talking astir it. It's horrible."

She said Bryson was assertive to students and unit portion connected the course.

"Two of the lecturers really cried owed to immoderate of the words and name-calling," she said.

"I consciousness truly fto down. We should've been told. If the assemblage didn't know, they should've done inheritance checks."

She said she avoided assemblage for 3 weeks aft Bryson accused her of being homophobic.

Thomas Ross KC, a lawyer specialising successful transgression law, said difficulties originate erstwhile a idiosyncratic is charged with committing a transgression but not convicted.

Under existent laws, the accused is not obliged to disclose the information.

He told BBC Scotland: "It's an incredibly hard concern for the universities and colleges due to the fact that if they admit the idiosyncratic who has been charged, past they volition beryllium criticised connected the ground they are putting different students astatine risk.

"If they don't admit the idiosyncratic past it's apt to extremity up successful immoderate signifier of ineligible situation connected the ground that the applicant is presumed to beryllium innocent, truthful it's truly a drawback 22 concern for the universities erstwhile this concern arises."

He said universities and colleges could alteration their rules to inquire applicants whether they person been charged with a circumstantial crime.

"It's not unsocial and it undoubtedly volition beryllium repeated arsenic agelong arsenic we're successful a concern wherever we mightiness beryllium 2 oregon 3 years betwixt complaint and trial," helium added.

A Scottish authorities spokesperson said ministers were seeking urgent clarification from Ayrshire College connected the issues raised.

They added: "While enrolment and safeguarding policies are a substance for idiosyncratic colleges, the Scottish authorities is moving with the assemblage to reappraisal however institutions cod and stock accusation regarding students and prospective students who person been progressive successful reports of gender-based violence."

Audrey Cumberford, who chairs the College Principals Group, said determination were professionals astatine each Scottish colleges who were trained successful safeguarding authorities and regulation.

She said: "Colleges tin inquire prospective students to state if they person been convicted oregon person been charged with an offence.

"This happens done the exertion process, and past again done the behaviour codification oregon pupil declaration astatine each assemblage - if students don't state what they request to they tin beryllium asked to permission their people of survey immediately."

Bryson was initially remanded to Cornton Vale women's situation adjacent Stirling aft her condemnation connected Tuesday but has since been transferred to a antheral helping of HMP Edinburgh.