A transgender paedophile who sent sexual messages and pictures over Snapchat to teenagers as young as 13 while in a 'dark place' after undergoing hormone therapy has been jailed.

Skylar Savage, a 47-year-old who was born a male but identifies as a woman, was arrested after police raided the house she shared with her 82-year-old mother in Frodsham, Cheshire, in December 2023.

After seizing Savage's phone and PlayStation, police found a stash of sexualised Snapchat chats involving Savage and various children over a ten month period.

A 13-year-old girl and two 15-year-olds were subjected to sexual messages, one of which included a video of Savage carrying out an sex act.

Savage, who is biologically male, blamed the twisted behaviour on being in a 'dark place' from undergoing hormone therapy.

The 13-year-old girl who refused Savage's warped request for a sexually explicit image received the response: 'Is it wrong that I know your real age but I still want you? 

Another victim, a 15-year-old boy, was sent messages from Savage saying she was 'looking for a f***' and asking if they could compare the sizes of their genitals. 

At Chester Crown Court, Savage was jailed for 33 months and will serve the sentence at a men's prison.

The paedophile pleaded guilty to causing a child to watch a sexual act, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, possession of indecent photos of a child, possession of extreme pornographic images, and engaging in sexual communication with a child.

The 13-year old girl, who lives in the same town as Savage, was subsequently traced leaving her parents horrified.

The victim's mother said: 'When we were first contacted by Cheshire Police we thought it must be a mistake. We thought we had always been strict with social media with our 13 years old child. She was just that, a 13-year-old girl.

'We were overprotective of our children and we checked their phones on a regular basis. We were aware of predators - we trusted her. But my little girl had kept the conversation to herself as she was in fear that we would be angry with her.

'I explained that it was not her fault and that she was the innocent party but it had a detrimental effect on her mental health. 

'She has given up a sport she had participated in. She lost her confidence, she has low self esteem and we have witnessed a change in relationships. 

'She does not have a good relationship with food. When she finally manages to get to sleep it is restless and we had to pay for therapy.'

The parent, who cannot be named to protect the identity of her daughter, added: 'We are living a completely different life. We struggle when the children are not with us and we are constantly watching phone apps to see where they are. 

'We are paranoid about them speaking to people we do not know or if they ask for a sleepover.

'The person who has robbed her innocent mind should be punished in such a way to ensure no other family has to go through what we went through as a family. 

'We have the added stress of 'Are we are going to walk past this person?' We have seen the defendant walk past the bus stop my daughter uses to get to school. Imagine our concern whether our daughter will be safe.'

'We even saw the defendant in a supermarket and had to abandon our shopping to make sure our daughter was safe. This is our new life.'

The offences occurred after Savage had been openly detailing her transition to a woman on her Facebook page and would regular post about medical appointments, her old life as a bearded male, new hairstyles and makeovers.

One post showed Savage posing provocatively on a bed whilst wearing a black bra and saying: 'Now I feel sexy and myself. I'm gonna shout it the world.. Call me what you like but only I'll know exactly what and who I am. Kind honest, heart of a gold, a bit sexy. And f***in free at last.'

But police began investigating after they downloaded messages from her phone and discovered explicit contact Savage had with the 13-year-old girl.

Andrew Jebb prosecuting said: 'She has used Snapchat intermittently since about 2020 and would use it to speak to friends. But messages were exchanged as a result of the defendant adding the girl on Snapchat and the girl accepting that request

'The defendant described herself as trans while the girl said that she was 13. The defendant initially told her that she was 18 but then later said 30 to 40. She asked if she was a naughty girl then sent the word 'dripping' which related to sexual activity.'

Mr Jebb said Savage told the girl she would send an explicit photo of her using a sex toy and asked if she could see the girl perform an sex act. 

'The girl did not comply with this request but sent a sticker with breasts,' Mr Webb said. 'The defendant then said 'Is it wrong that I know your real age but I still want you?'

The court heard Savage then sent a video selfie showing her carrying out an sex act which 'shocked' the girl. 

She blocked Savage and later said she she found the film 'creepy and disgusting' and made her 'feel dirty.'

Police found other evidence of sexualised chats with a boy of 15 and a girl aged 15 but neither were identified. 

Twenty five pornographic images including 23 in the 'extreme' category were also discovered. 

In interviews, Savage said she 'did not know' why she had sent sexualised messages and images to children.

Savage was handed a suspended prison sentence in March 2023 for drink-driving and driving whilst disqualified and in all had 12 previous offences on her record.

Her counsel Oliver King said: 'Skylar Savage is a deeply troubled lady. Throughout her childhood and youth she lived outwardly as a male when she felt inside that she was a female.

'It was made more difficult because of her physical stature and at various schools she attended, she was the subject of bullying. Whilst others were confident in their identities and forming relationships she was a recluse, a female trapped in a man's body.

'Her rock is her mum with whom she lives. Whilst the relationship has been tested at times her mum continues to support her. She supports her mum who has reduced mobility and is waiting for a procedure on her hip. It is going to affect her mum's life not being around.

He added: 'She maintains she has no sexual interest in children. The offences occurred at a time when she was particularly low in mood, embarking on the hormone transition therapy and drinking heavily. She was feeling really lonely, using social media to have some form of contact with other human beings.

'She accepts it took a dark and sinister turn in which she indulged her sexual fantasies with teenage children. There was no attempt to progress it to meeting those children. She understands that she must be punished.

'She is absolutely terrified of custody. She is a biological male so she is going to be in a male prison. No doubt she will have to be separated on the vulnerable persons' ward. It is going to be particularly difficult for her. '

Savage was also made subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order and was ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register.

Judge Natalie Cuddy told her: 'It is quite clear you are someone who has experienced childhood trauma and trauma throughout your adult life as a consequence of the fact that you have been living outwardly as a male but not identifying with the gender assigned at birth.

'You have felt yourself to be female and that has clearly had a significant impact on your social functioning. But these are serious offences and they have had a significant impact on at least one identifiable victim and have a more widespread impact on society as a whole.'

As she was being led away to the cells, Savage said: 'I know it means nothing but to the family I am terribly terribly sorry.'