A woman stands accused of deceiving her partner by posing as a man in order to have sexual relations with him. The case spans two years, during which the defendant allegedly told her partner she had cancer, a claim that resulted in her partner being kept away from his own genitals. The trial seeks to determine the truth behind the relationships and the extent of the deception involved.
Blade Silvano, aged 40, faces trial after a reported attack. Court proceedings describe the defendant as having run a so‑called “sophisticated” scheme that persuaded an unnamed partner that Silvano was male for legal and relational reasons. The couple reportedly met on an online dating site in 2016, shared sexual encounters on two occasions, and even discussed marriage. The prosecution argues that the deception was central to the dynamics of their relationship and to actions that followed.
During the testimony, it was indicated that Silvano would rely on an unidentified device or method to maintain the impression of maleness at the trial, and that certain physical cues were deliberately concealed. The defendant was described as maintaining privacy about sexuality in the presence of the partner, reportedly using a blindfold and limiting touch as part of the alleged manipulation. These elements were presented as strategies to control the narrative and the partner’s perceptions within the relationship.
The partner, who referred to Silvano as “he” during the hearings, is said to have learned Silvano’s true gender through a social media post on Facebook nearly two years later. The witness testified that he became aware of the real identity after a long period of uncertainty, describing how he recalls being able to move his own body with less constraint once the truth emerged. His testimony touched on moments of intimacy and the boundaries that were set during their relationship, highlighting the psychological and emotional complexity involved in discovering the concealed identity. The court heard his account and the impact of the revelation on their interactions.
The incidents are said to have occurred in Bishop’s Castle, a small town in the southwest of Shropshire county. The town has a population of fewer than 2,000 residents and sits just two kilometres from the Welsh border. The locality forms part of the backdrop to the case, which has drawn attention to issues around deception, consent, and the legal interpretation of intimate encounters within dating relationships. The proceedings continue to examine what happened between the individuals involved and the justificatory claims surrounding the alleged actions. The court record currently reflects the ongoing evaluation of the evidence presented by both the prosecution and the defense. (attribution: Cambridge Crown Court)