A transgender inmate at a maximum security prison attacked a guard after her razors were removed, meaning she could no longer shave, a court has heard.
Marcia Walker, 47, a child rapist formally known as Mark Walker, is legally recognised as female by the prison authorities but has been in a long-running dispute over access to gender realignment surgery.
Durham Crown Court was told that Walker reacted angrily when prison officers from Frankland jail objected to her having razor blades. She claimed being unable to shave herself worsened her gender dysphoria and, when prison officers entered her cell, spat at one and told him: "I have Covid."
During the same incident, Walker also made a specific threat to kill the prison's custody manager, Michael Roachford, as well as threatening another inmate.
The court heard that Walker was already angry that copies of National Geographic magazine – sent into jail by a charity – had been confiscated from her cell because they contained pictures of naked children.
During interview, Walker had insisted she had no sexual interest in the images in the magazine and added: "They cannot take my razors from me."
In a statement read to the court, Mr Roachford described Walker as "a white, transgender inmate legally recognised as a female". He said: "In my role as custody manager I should not expect threats to kill me. Marcia has a history of making threats."
Fiona Lamb, mitigating, said: "The defendant has had quite an unpleasant experience being in custody. I'm sure no one enjoys it, but because of the defendant's personal circumstances it has been very difficult for her."
Walker, who appeared by video link admitted assault on a prison officer, threatening to kill Mr Roachford and fellow inmate Liam Edwards as well as breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
Sentencing Walker, Judge Ray Singh said he had "real concerns" over releasing her into the community, but also acknowledged there were issues over her continued detention within the prison system.
However, he said he was taking "a chance" on her and imposed consecutive three-month sentences for all offences, totalling 15 months, suspended for two years, with 30 rehabilitation activity days with the Probation Service.
Walker will also be subject to post-sentence supervision.
The court was told Kent Police, her original offender managers from the first offence in 2003, will now take her to an agreed accommodation facility in Guildford, Surrey. She will leave Durham Prison, where she has been on remand, within the next 24 hours.
Judge Singh added that any breaches would land her back before him and he would activate the full 15 months. Walker told him she would not breach, adding: "You have my word on that".
Walker was first jailed for 13 years as a man in 2003 for two rapes against girls under the age of 16, one aged just four, as well as 10 counts of making indecent photographs of children, seven of taking indecent photographs of children and two of distributing indecent photographs of children.
In 2012, Walker was jailed for an extra six months for claiming a bomb had been sent to the then Home Secretary Theresa May's house. In 2017, she received a further prison term for making hoax bomb threats against Long Lartin prison where she was being held at the time.