Woman who posed as a man to con victim into sex jailed for more than 10 years

Blade Silvano used ‘careful deception’ to convince her victim she was a man, Cambridge Crown Court heard.

Blade Silvano was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court (Alamy/PA)

A “calculated” manipulator who posed as a man to deceive a woman into having sex with her has been jailed for more than 10 years.

Blade Silvano made a fake profile and posted pictures of herself looking like a man when she met her victim on Plenty of Fish in 2016, a judge told Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday.

Silvano, 41, used “careful deception” to convince her victim she was a man, twice having sex with her using a strap-on sex toy and concealing her lower half with an oversized t-shirt, never allowing her victim to see her naked.

She continued to mislead her victim in an “unspeakably cruel” manner for around 18 months, claiming she was a British military officer, sending pictures of herself appearing to wet shave, and even suggesting she wanted to get married.

Her victim “saw a future” with Silvano but was “horrified” when she finally discovered her true identity on Facebook.

She was left feeling “violated and traumatised”, according to police, who described Silvano’s actions as the “ultimate deception”.

Silvano, of Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire, was found guilty of two counts of assault by penetration during a trial at the same court last May.

She claimed to have never met the victim, telling a jury the relationship was based on fantasy and online roleplay.

Judge Philip Grey described her “transparently dishonest account” as “remarkable and at times laughable”.

He sentenced her to 10 years and six months imprisonment on Wednesday and placed her on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

Judge Grey said it was not a case of gender dysphoria but of using “deceit and lies” to achieve sexual gratification, describing Silvano’s actions as “calculated”.

You deliberately set out to deceive her (and) did so in the most reprehensible way. She was convinced she was having sex with a man. You achieved this with a series of careful deceptions. Her consent is null and void

Judge Philip Grey

He said: “You managed your appearance carefully to look like a man.

“You deliberately set out to deceive her (and) did so in the most reprehensible way.

“She was convinced she was having sex with a man. You achieved this with a series of careful deceptions. Her consent is null and void.

“During the course of that relationship, you told lie after lie. You told her you were a British army officer and you were not nor have you ever been.

“You sent pictures of you in military fatigues and appearing to wet shave.

“This was a fantasy you were playing out for your own selfish enjoyment.

“You continued to string her along and that was unspeakably cruel. Your lying was constant.

“In August you suggested to her that you wanted to get married. She tried on wedding dresses with her sister.

“She was understandably horrified when she discovered what happened.”

Silvano carried out the ultimate deception and has caused extreme distress to her victim

Detective Constable Leeza Phillips

Speaking outside court, Detective Constable Leeza Phillips of Cambridgeshire Police, who investigated the case, said: “This was an extraordinary investigation and unlike any case I’ve seen before in Cambridgeshire.

“Silvano carried out the ultimate deception and has caused extreme distress to her victim.

“Without the full facts, the victim was not able to give her consent to a sexual relationship and this whole situation has left her feeling violated and traumatised.

“I hope the victim and her family can now find some closure from this traumatic period.”