Armed robber had sex change while in prison
By David Sapsted
THE Prison Service was criticised yesterday for letting an armed robber have a £20,000 sex-change operation on the NHS and serve the remainder of his sentence in a women’s prison.
David Cross, who is now known as Kelly, wounded a postmaster and his eight-month-old son when he opened fire with a shotgun during a raid on a post office in Polegate, East Sussex, in 1991. Cross said he had been trying to raise money for a sex-change operation in Switzerland. He wore a blonde wig and stockings under his mechanic’s overalls during the robbery.
Now serving a 17-year jail sentence, the 39-year-old transsexual underwent electrolysis sessions in his cell at Parkhurst Prison on the Isle of Wight to remove chest and leg hair. He also made regular trips to Charing Cross Hospital in London for consultations before the sex-change operation and has been prescribed female hormone drugs.
Norman Brennan, of the Victims of Crime Trust, described the Prison Service’s decision to allow Cross to have the operation at taxpayers’ expense as outrageous. He said: “I absolutely despair at the way the criminal justice system is heading in this country.
“Groups such as ours have to beg for a few hundred pounds to give victims of serious crime counselling, yet at the drop of a hat, we find that tens of thousands of pounds are being given to make the life of a criminal a little more comfortable. It really goes to show how much we care for the criminals and how little for the victims. This country should hang its head in shame at some of the outrageous decisions like this one.”
A spokesman for the Prison Service refused to discuss individual cases. He added: “We can confirm that prisoners requesting treatment to change their sex would be treated in line with NHS guidelines. The Prison Service would take advice from the NHS about the timing and administration of treatment and the prisoner would be treated the same as any other NHS patient. The cost would not be borne by the Prison Service.”
David Halberg, the postmaster, was cradling his eight-month old son Jonathan when Cross blasted a security screen, peppering him with pellets and debris. He declined to comment yesterday. Cross is currently believed to be in a prison hospital awaiting transfer to a women’s prison.
5 October 2000: Transsexual pension fight for EU court
12 November 1996: Killer given legal aid for sex change
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