Caroline Farrow, 44, has been told she must attend an interview with cops in Guildford, Surrey, after they received a complaint
POLICE want to quiz a woman who "misgendered" a transgender child and accused her mum of "child abuse" on social media shortly after a TV debate.
Caroline Farrow, 44, was on ITV’s Good Morning Britain last September with Susie Green, who has a transgender daughter.
The debate centred on whether transgender girls should be allowed in the Girl Guides.
She later described Ms Green's daughter on Twitter as “him” because she had not yet undergone gender-reassignment surgery.
She also sent a string of tweets in October last year, one of which accused Ms Green of "child abuse".
Mrs Farrow also accused her of "mutilating" and "castrating" her child. This prompted Ms Green to contact Surrey Police.
Now the Catholic mum-of-five has been told she must attend an interview with cops in Guildford, Surrey.
She was told that if she refused she would be arrested. If found guilty, she could face a two-year prison sentence.
I am disgusted, appalled and really shaken up that the police have got involved with this
Catholic campaigner Caroline Farrow
Caroline told The Sun: "The police have contacted me to say there has been a complaint that I have misgendered this person’s child.
“I don’t remember the specifics of what I was supposed to have written in the tweet.
“But my question is, how have I breached the Malicious Communications Act, to do that you have to be threatening or obscene, which I haven’t.
“I am disgusted, appalled and really shaken up that the police have got involved with this.
“Surely, there are better things the police should be focusing their time and attention on."
Caroline, who is being investigated for a possible hate crime under the Malicious Communications Act, said: “I am not prepared to back down because I don’t see what I have done wrong. It's a public witch-hunt.
"I try at all times to be polite on Twitter, but it is my belief on both a religious and scientific basis that you cannot change the sex into which you were born."
Since the row, Mrs Farrow said she had subjected to online abuse and threats to her family.
Transgender rights campaigner Ms Green said she went to police after she was called a child abuser by Mrs Farrow.
Speaking today on the Victoria Derbyshire Show Ms Green said: "Everyday my daughter is misgendered online, this isn’t something that’s uncommon – what was uncommon about this was a journalist who had a public platform who used that to send very deliberately malicious and nasty messages.
"And it’s not just the misgendering...it’s actually the context she puts it into and that she calls me a child abuser."
When asked whether she felt it was a police matter she said it was "up to them to decide". It comes at a time when officers are struggling with high levels of violent crime and knife violence.
She added: "I reported this to [the police] and asked them what they thought, they said they would look into it. The one thing the police officer asked me was what I wanted to achieve from it and I said ‘I want it to stop’.
It’s not just the misgendering...it’s actually the context she puts it into and that she calls me a child abuser
Susie Green
“I did withdraw my complaint yesterday because if I continued the complaint then Caroline Farrow would have the platform to continue to spread misinformation about what actually happened.
“I find that the constant referencing of herself as a victim, when in actual fact she’s used her platform to deliberately go after myself and my daughter, I couldn’t let that stand."
Ms Green said malicious messages sent online shouldn't be overlooked by cops.
She added: "A few weeks ago a young person killed herself because of online hate directed at her.
"I think the damage done by online communications is absolutely immense and to say this isn’t as important as other things, the police and the CPS need to make those decisions.
"I followed through [with my complaint] as I found things that were deeply, deeply upsetting and felt I had to do something."
The debate last September centred on whether transgender girls should be allowed in the Girl Guides.
The Girl Guides spoke out against claims they are putting girls at risk by introducing a policy to allow transgender people to join the organisation.
Caroline Farrow and Susie Green went on to GMB to discuss the issue with and Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid.
Susie runs the Mermaids charity, Britain's leading transgender charity which helps support youngsters and their families.
The charity was awarded £500,000 by the National Lottery in December.
Ms Green's daughter, Jackie, 25, became the youngest person in Britain to transition when she changed her sex from male to female almost 10 years ago following an operation in Thailand.
Jackie said her mother had faced "hostile remarks" from people who "don't understand the issues surrounding transgender".
The tweet case was pursued by Surrey Police, whose former Chief Constable, Lynne Owens, said in 2015 that as a result of £25million in cuts and the loss of 250 officers, minor crimes would be ignored in favour of investigation of offences against vulnerable people.
A spokesman for the force said: "We received an allegation on 15 October 2018 in relation to a number of tweets which were posted in October 2018.
"A thorough investigation is being carried out to establish whether any criminal offences have taken place.
"A 44-year-old woman has been asked to attend a voluntary interview in relation to the allegation as part of our ongoing investigation."
