ASHTON KEYNES DOUBLE RAPIST MARTIN PONTING TRANSFORMS INTO WOMEN'S PRISON IN SURREY

In a development that has sparked outrage and deep concern, a notorious double rapist, originally from Ashton Keynes, Gloucestershire, has been transferred to a women-only prison after undergoing a £10,000 NHS gender reassignment surgery while incarcerated. The individual, formerly known as Martin Ponting, now identifies as Jessica Winfield, and is currently held at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey.

Ponting, who was convicted of heinous crimes involving the sexual assault of two young girls in Swindon, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1995. Over the years, he has undergone a significant physical transformation, including a sex change operation funded by the NHS, which cost approximately £10,000. This procedure was carried out while he was serving his sentence, raising questions and concerns among victims, prison officials, and the wider community.

One of Winfield’s victims, who was assaulted by Ponting when he was still male, expressed her distress and dismay at the recent developments. She stated, “He may have changed physically but his brain is still the same.” She further added, “To assume the identity of a woman after what he did is a kick in the teeth.”

Ponting, now 50 years old and a father of three, was moved from the high-security HMP Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire to the more lenient, women-only facility at HMP Bronzefield in Ashford, Surrey. The move has been met with significant backlash from female inmates, some of whom have expressed fears and even threats of self-harm as a result of sharing a facility with Winfield.

The victim who spoke out last night described her feelings of betrayal and anger, saying, “There are not enough words to describe him and the evil he has done. It is diabolical they have allowed him to have a sex change and diabolical that he could be freed this year.” She emphasized her belief that physical transformation does not erase the impulses and urges that led to his crimes, stating, “You can change somebody’s genitals but it’s not going to take away the urge and impulse inside them to do horrific things to children.”

She also revealed that she visited her attacker in prison five years ago, seeking closure, and was shocked to see him dressed as a woman, complete with a wig, makeup, and breasts. “I had no idea what was going on,” she recalled. “He was sat there wearing a wig and make-up. He had boobs.”

Historically, transgender prisoners have been granted the right to undergo gender reassignment surgery since 1999, a policy that continues to generate debate and controversy, especially in cases involving violent offenders like Ponting. The recent move to place Winfield in a women’s prison has reignited discussions about the safety and appropriateness of such decisions, with victims and advocacy groups voicing their concerns about the potential risks and the emotional toll involved.