A TRANSGENDER woman was left with a shoeprint mark on her face after a teenager kicked and punched her at her hotel room in Reading.

Connor Young has narrowly avoided jail time after assaulting the victim at a hotel in Oxford Road on April 15, 2021.

The then 17-year-old had been ‘humiliated’ after flirting with the woman and later being told she was transgender.

READ MORE: Prisoner on trial in Reading for alleged rape

He then proceeded to punch and kick the woman leaving her with cuts, bruises and a shoeprint mark on her face.

Now 19 years old, Young appeared at Reading Crown Court for sentencing on Thursday (May 25) where a judge described him as ‘exceptionally lucky’ as ‘hate crimes ordinarily mean going straight to prison’.

Prosecuting, Connie Young said the defendant had been at the hotel for work with his colleagues when he came across the victim in an elevator and started flirting with her.

He invited her to his room and when she arrived later that evening she felt ‘uncomfortable’ and left. However, Young visited her hotel room a short while after where she told him she was transgender.

READ MORE: Mother of teen involved in murder guilty of lying to police to avoid son's arrest

Ms Young said: “[The defendant] said, ‘What, a man?’ and left. [The victim] heard a kick at the door about 20 minutes later.

“The door was pushed towards her with force. The defendant punched her in the face causing her to fall to the floor. He went to punch and kick her in the face several times before leaving.”

The victim attended Royal Berkshire Hospital where a cut above her eye had to be glued. The court heard her right toenail had been partially ripped off, there was bruising to her right arm and swelling to the back of her head.

She later phoned police and identified Young from an identification parade. The court she now suffers from panic attacks and she ‘constantly fears for her safety’.

Defending Young, of Woodlands, Long Sutton, Spalding, David Dainty said: “There is no getting away from the fact that this was a nasty assault.

“It’s an incident he regrets and one he’s determined to learn from. Emotionally, he has grown and matured to show he has drawn a line under this offence.”

Judge Emma Nott sentenced the plasterer to 15 months detention, suspended for 18 months.

READ MORE: Reading taxi driver fined nearly £2,000 for illegal hire services

She said: “You are exceptionally lucky as I have just been persuaded to give you a chance. Stamping on someone’s head whether they are gay, transgender, a different race or religion means a custodial sentence.

“Hate crimes ordinarily mean going straight to prison. It’s with very careful consideration I’ve been persuaded to give you a chance.”

Young left the court with his fiancée in floods of tears.