A transgender-identifying activist in the UK has been charged with murder after allegedly stabbing his partner to death.
70-year-old Joanna Rowland-Stuart, a biological man who identifies as female and was formerly known as John Stuart, is accused of murdering his partner in their apartment in Brighton. Rowland-Stuart, who has remained in custody, appeared in court via video link from prison on Wednesday and did not enter a plea regarding the death of his partner, Andrew Rowland-Stuart.
Sussex Police explained that emergency services responded to the incident on May 27. After being called to the 15th-floor flat where the two lived, they found Andrew with stab wounds and pronounced him dead at the scene. The murder weapon in question was believed to have been a samurai sword.
Rowland-Stuart is a former transgender representative with the civil service LGBT group Proud. He also worked as a director for the Brighton LGBT Community Safety Forum, according to the Daily Mail. Following the death, Sussex Police issued an appeal to help detectives investigate the incident.
“This is a fast-moving investigation and our inquiries are ongoing as we seek to establish the full circumstances which led to Andrew’s tragic death. Our thoughts remain with his loved ones at this difficult time,” said Detective Chief Inspector Alex Campbell. “In the meantime, we are urging the public not to speculate but to come forward with any information which may be able to assist us.”
