I want you to understand, you are not the victim of a conspiracy... you are not the victim at all

The defendant, now 47 and known as Natalie Wolf but previously known as Ryan Haley, sexually assaulted a child before changing his name to "Natalie" and dressing as a woman, before going on to claim the jury returned a guilty verdict because they'd been hypnotised.

Wolf was addressed by the victim in court, who said "he" would always be a man to her. Newcastle Crown Court heard she stayed silent about the terrifying ordeal, which happened in Washington, but found the courage to report what happened when she became an adult.

Wolf, now of Shipley Walk, Byker, Newcastle, denied sexual activity with a child but was convicted by a jury after a trial and has now been jailed for three-and-a-half years with lifelong sex offender registration and sexual harm prevention order.

Wolf claims the conviction was as a result of a conspiracy that involved the jury, police and lawyers being "hypnotised".

The victim courageously read her impact statement in court at the sentence hearing and said: "I am doing this not just for me but for all the children and women who have been sexually abused by men.

"Ryan Haley wants everyone to know him as Natalie Wolf but in my eyes he is Ryan Haley, the man who sexually abused me."

The woman said she was left with "shame and self doubt" after her ordeal and her body felt like a "battlefield" and added: "Watching them celebrate their life, their body and their choices feels like salt in my wounds."

Addressing the defendant, the victim said: "Ryan, you destroyed me as a child, I kept this inside me for many years until I was strong enough to report it.

"Today I got the chance to read my victim statement in court. Today I am finally going to get the justice I have waited for.

"Today Ryan Haley you are going to get what you deserve."

Wolf, who self-represented at the hearing, said the victim was "lying through her teeth" and complained about being assaulted while on remand in Durham Prison, a jail for men.

Judge Gavin Doig told Wolf: "It is clear you believed you are the victim of a conspiracy involving the courts, prison service, the barristers in the case, your solicitor, the police, your family and a number of other people.

"You make allegations in your notes I have read, most of which I will not repeat, but include someone hypnotising the jury or that the jury were planted by people so you would be convicted.

"You suggest the victim may have hypnotised the police officer during her video interview.

"I want you to understand, you are not the victim of a conspiracy, you are not the victim at all."

The judge added that Wolf has shown "no remorse whatsoever" and said: "I urge you to spend your time in custody to reflect on your behaviour, the behaviour that has led you to be in prison now."

Judge Doig paid tribute to the victim and said it is "not easy" to come forward to make a complaint.

At the end of the hearing Wolf asked to be released pending an appeal.

The judge urged the defendant to seek legal advice and added: "You will not be released on bail pending that appeal."