…By Lola Smith for TDPel Media.
A woman, Blade Silvano, aged 40, has been convicted of two counts of sexual assault by penetration against an unidentified female victim.
Silvano now faces a significant prison sentence after being found guilty.
Deceptive Tactics and Hiding True Gender
During the trial at Cambridge Crown Court, it was revealed that Silvano had manipulated her victim into engaging in sexual intercourse on multiple occasions.
Silvano accomplished this by using an unidentified object that the victim mistakenly believed to be Silvano’s penis.
Silvano concealed her true gender by wearing a t-shirt and boxers, turning off the lights, and preventing the victim from seeing or touching her genitalia.
False Claims and Conviction
The jury unanimously convicted Silvano on two charges of sexual assault by penetration.
Evidence presented during the trial demonstrated that Silvano had lied about having cancer and being a member of the British Army.
Denial of Bail and Expectation of Lengthy Custodial Sentence
Following the conviction, Silvano was denied bail and remanded in custody.
The judge informed her to anticipate a substantial prison term.
His Honour Judge Philip Grey expressed his inability to grant bail, citing Silvano’s dishonest testimony as some of the most deceitful he had ever encountered.
Seriousness of the Offenses and Overwhelming Evidence
Judge Grey emphasized the gravity of Silvano’s crimes, referring to them as extremely serious offenses.
He also described the evidence against her as utterly overwhelming.
Proceedings and Pre-Sentence Reports
The date for Silvano’s sentencing will be determined during the next hearing on 6 June.
At that time, pre-sentence reports will be ordered to aid in determining an appropriate sentence.
Online Meeting and Misunderstood Consent
Prosecutors presented evidence during the trial revealing that Silvano and the victim initially met online.
Silvano had posed as a man seeking a woman on the dating platform Plenty of Fish, which led to the victim connecting with her.
After meeting in person and engaging in intimate activities, the victim, consistently referring to Silvano as a man, expressed that she believed she had been involved with a man named Blade Mendez.
The victim asserted that she had never consented to engaging in sexual acts with a female.
Deceptive Acts and Non-Consensual Penetration
According to the victim’s testimony, Silvano would blindfold her during their encounters and prohibited her from observing the penetration.
Silvano also prevented the victim from engaging with her genital region, while using sex toys on the victim.
The victim agreed to have sex with Silvano based on Silvano’s representation of being a man.
Denial of Meeting and Academic Claims
Silvano, who resides in Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire, denied ever meeting the victim and claimed to have been open about her gender from the outset.
Silvano asserted that she was entitled to use the title ‘Doctor’ after completing an online PhD in ancient Greek history.
Next Court Appearance and Sentencing Date
Silvano is scheduled to appear in court again on 6 June, when her sentencing date will be determined.