A woman who “gloated” after stabbing a transgender girl in a brutal revenge attack has been pictured as a seemingly innocent schoolgirl, as her mother defends her actions in shocking remarks.
An 18-year-old transgender girl, was lured to a roller disco in Harrow, northwest London, on February 10 last year, where she was attacked by five youths, reports the Mirror.
She was stabbed nine times, punched, kicked, and stamped on while transphobic slurs were shouted at her. All five attackers have since been jailed.
Among them was 20-year-old Summer Betts-Ramsey, who carried out the stabbing and was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in youth detention, with four-and-a-half years to be served in custody.
After the attack, Betts-Ramsey shared footage online accompanied by laughing emojis and reportedly bragged, “I’m going jail… bro I stabbed her 12 times.” When confronted in a message condemning the transphobic nature of her actions, she responded coldly: “IT deserved it.”
The court heard that Betts-Ramsey, who already had three prior convictions for seven offenses including robbery and battery, was under a community order at the time of the attack.
Judge Philip Katz KC described the assault as “abhorrent” and motivated by a “distorted notion of revenge,” partly rooted in the victim’s gender identity. He called Betts-Ramsey a “dangerous offender” who posed an ongoing threat to the public, adding that her post-attack behavior was “shamelessly hateful and dehumanising.”
Images of Betts-Ramsey’s earlier life have since emerged, showing her as a cheerful child growing up in north London, posing in school uniforms with her hair neatly tied back. In court, a defense lawyer painted a starkly different picture, describing her troubled upbringing and history of abuse.
The lawyer, Greg Unwin, argued that Betts-Ramsey had been intoxicated at the time of the attack and expressed remorse for her actions, including the use of transphobic slurs. He revealed she had been in and out of care since childhood, with her life marred by domestic violence and abuse starting at the age of seven.
“Her record shows a long involvement with children’s services. She has complex needs and has been easily influenced from an early age,” Unwin said, pointing to a pattern of neglect and instability in her life.
Despite the horrific nature of the crime, Betts-Ramsey’s mother, Linda, attempted to downplay her daughter’s role, insisting she was “not a ringleader.” Speaking to The Mail, she said: “You don’t know the whole truth… There are two sides to every story. There were a lot of threats before this happened.”
Linda added that her daughter’s generation “deal with things in a totally different way,” though she acknowledged the situation was “hard to understand.”
The attack has left a lasting impact on the victim, who endured life-threatening injuries and the trauma of the transphobic assault.
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