DEPUTY First Minister Shona Robison has said the trans community should not be punished for the crimes of Andrew Miller.
On Thursday, Miller, also known as Amy George, admitted to abducting a schoolgirl before sexually assaulting her at his home in the Scottish Borders.
The court was told Miller is in the process of transitioning before he pleaded guilty to charges at the High Court in Edinburgh.
He had offered the girl a lift in February but then drove to his own home, locked her in a bedroom and refused to let her leave.
Deputy First Minister Shona Robison told Holyrood last year there’s “no evidence” predatory men ever had to “pretend to be anything else” to “carry out abusive behaviour”.
— Connor Gillies (@ConnorGillies) May 18, 2023
Comments made during gender reform debate.
How does that square with Andrew Miller/Amy George? @SkyNews pic.twitter.com/8hv2QQi29t
Robison was asked about previous comments she made when she told Holyrood there was “no evidence” that predatory men ever had to “pretend to be anything else to carry out abusive behaviour”.
She told Sky News: “What we’re talking about here is people who have committed very serious crimes.
“Anyone who has committed an offence is an offender and should be treated as such but we should not, because we wouldn’t do this with any other community, take those cases of offenders and imply that somehow that is an issue for the rest of the trans community.”
NEW: First Minister Humza Yousaf tells @SkyNews he cannot say whether transgender butcher Andrew Miller (also known as Amy George) will be detained in a women’s prison after being sentenced in Aug.
— Connor Gillies (@ConnorGillies) May 18, 2023
Miller lured the girl to his car before locking her up & sexually abusing her. pic.twitter.com/Kok8wbOjPj
She added: “Clearly, this is a predatory man who has carried out offending behaviour and should be treated as such.
“What we shouldn’t do is to treat the rest of the trans community in the same light and that would be utterly wrong, we would not do that with any other community.”
Humza Yousaf also confirmed to Sky News that Miller was being held in a male prison. He said: “This is a gut-wrenching case. Heartbreaking, I cannot think of the trauma the victim, the family of the victim, in fact the community are going through.
READ MORE: Paisley: Death of four-year-old boy being treated as murder
“I can confirm of course that Andrew Miller is being held in a male prison but I can’t say which one.”
The First Minister said he was unable to comment any further on an ongoing court case.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article