A paedophile was able to groom, sexually assault and get a 14-year-old schoolgirl pregnant after identifying as a transgender women has been jailed.

David Orton, also known as Danielle Rose Gemini” – was found guilty of penetrative sexual activity with a child following a trial. Orton befriended the victim and her family and was trusted to be alone with her because of his gender status.

Officers said the victim had been vulnerable and initially refused to believe she was being sexually abused. However, she later changed her mind and told police what had happened.

Orton was sentenced to a nine-and-a-half-year jail sentence at Leicester Crown.

Leicestershire Police – who said the 25-year-old identified as a woman at the time of the offences – were not able to give a current gender identity.

The defendant was also charged with raping the girl, but was found not guilty of this following the trial.

Det Con Sarah Le Boutillier, the investigating officer, said: “Throughout our interviews, Orton refused to accept that there was any wrongdoing and [claimed] that they were in fact the victim.

“The claims were unfounded.”