A transgender man living as a woman in the United Kingdom has been sentenced to nine-and-a-half years in jail for impregnating a 14-year-old girl.

The jury found transgender David Orton, who identifies by the name Danielle Rose Gemini, guilty on two counts of “penetrative sexual activity with a child” but found him not guilty on two counts of rape.

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

Leicestershire Police said that Orton was aged 25 at the time of the sexual acts and identified as a woman. They could not say his current gender identity. Investigating officer Detective Constable Sarah Le Boutillier said that Orton refused to accept any wrongdoing for his crimes.

“Throughout our interviews, Orton refused to accept that there was any wrongdoing and [claimed] that they were in fact the victim,” she told the BBC. “The claims were unfounded.”

Boutillier added that she hopes the sentencing will help “the victim to come to terms with what happened and try and put that time behind her, and also reassures her parents that they did the right thing by coming forward.”

“We would like to reassure anyone else who may be in a similar situation to report their concerns, as they will be heard and we will help them through the process,” she said. “We know it’s not always easy to speak out; we have specialist officers who can help you every step of the way and also put you in touch with agencies who can advise and support you moving forward.”

Orton sparked a sexual relationship with the girl when she was just 14 and was reportedly a friend of her family. Her parents started becoming suspicious of his behavior in October 2020, but the girl refused to implicate him.

“Orton used the victim’s vulnerability for their own gain and not only groomed the victim, but also her parents who believed Orton was a genuine friend,” said Le Boutillier. “This was a complex and lengthy investigation; the initial report was made to the police more than two years ago. The victim’s parents refused to accept her initial explanations and persevered with their concerns.”

“We are pleased the victim found the courage to eventually talk about what she had been through and recognised that she was a victim and that Orton’s actions were not that of a friend,” she added.