Scottish trans murderer wants gender surgery on NHS

A transgender murderer being held at a women’s jail unit in Scotland wants to become the first prisoner in Britain to have gender reassignment surgery on the NHS.

Paris Green, who was born Peter Laing, claimed having the major operation would help them “feel comfortable in the shower” and become “fully the person I should have been”.

The convict is being held at the women’s unit at HMP Edinburgh, where the 30-year-old is serving a life sentence for the murder of Robert Shankland, 45, in 2013.

Green and two others were each handed a minimum term of 18 years before they could be considered for release, after they tortured and beat their victim with ligatures and a rolling pin at Green’s Fife flat.

However, speaking to the Daily Record from jail, Green expressed regret for the “inexcusable” crime and insisted the gender surgery would help with rehabilitation.

The “anger” caused by being trans had contributed to the murder, it was claimed.

'Having male genitalia feels wrong'

“It won’t be straightforward and I know a lot of people will say I don’t deserve it, but nothing is more important to me than becoming fully the person I should have been,” said Green.

“I want to feel comfortable in the shower rather than feeling repulsed. Having male genitalia feels wrong.

“It’s a major operation. It takes you a long time to be prepared for it and a long time to recover. I’ll have a better chance of making a good recovery if I have it in my 30s rather than my 40s.

“I’d be able to come out of prison with my past completely behind me, which gives the best chance of succeeding outside.”

Green had previously been in line for gender reassignment surgery, following approval from the Scottish Prison Service (SPS). However, a surgeon expressed security concerns and the plans were shelved due to the pandemic.

The murderer claimed it had been “devastating” to see the plans halted, claiming to have been “certain” at age 15 that “I should have been a woman”.

'Utterly depraved'

Green is being held in the same jail as Isla Bryson, the double rapist who was initially sent to Cornton Vale women’s prison.

However, Bryson - whose case caused an overhaul of how new trans prisoners are treated in Scotland - is being held in a male part of the jail, while Green, who began taking hormones in 2011, has been allowed to remain in the female wing.

A judge described Green’s crime as “utterly depraved” and added: “It beggars belief that you could act towards another human being in this way.”

Green said that most jail staff were respectful and hoped that as there were now more places offering the surgery, it could get the go-ahead.

'I'm no danger to anyone'

There are no facilities in Scotland that perform full gender reassignment surgery, so Green would have to be sent to England.

Green said: “I realise it’s not just as simple as me wanting the operation and everyone having to help make it happen and I understand the security concerns because I was convicted of an awful crime, but that’s past and I’m no danger to anyone.”

Addressing the brutal murder of Mr Shankland, Green added: “It was inexcusable - all I can say is I had a really awful childhood and was totally messed up.

“I was carrying a lot of anger inside me even before I realised I should have been a woman and that made me more angry.

“I wondered if I’d have been a different person if I’d been a woman. I’m not going to make excuses because there are none. I regret what I did and I’m sorry for it every day of my life.

“Even five minutes before it started, if someone had asked me if I was capable of murder, I’d have said no way.

“I know what I did. But I can't change it and I can't bring him back.

“But I can’t help anyone by sitting quietly, doing my time and not trying to complete my transition, so this is the best road for me.”

Dr Kate Coleman, of the Keep Prisons Single Sex campaign group, said no prisoner should be able to access such risky surgery and that Green would have been in a male jail had rules in England applied north of the border.

She added: “Green, who is serving a sentence for torture and murder, would, under the new Ministry of Justice policy, be held in the male estate.

“We hope the SPS will similarly place the safety of women at the centre of their revised policy when the policy is finally released.”