A mum-of-two who suggested a transgender woman was a paedophile has been given a restraining order and told to pay compensation.

Chinzia Ogilvie got into a row on Twitter with Ivy Burrows about whether she should be able to use ‘female facilities’ such as changing rooms.

A court heard how their seven hour exchange turned nasty.

Prosecutor Graham Heath told the hearing that Ogilvie, from Portsmouth, made offensive comments about the victim’s genitalia which ‘made her feel disgusted, violated and degraded’.

Ms Burrows was said to have been left ‘scared’ and ‘distressed’ following the exchanges, during which it was also suggested she might be a paedophile.

Ogilvie, who attended court wearing a badge saying ‘transwomen are men’, had previously shared ‘diametrically opposed views’ with Ivy, also from Portsmouth, on the platform.

She was said to have sent transphobic messages that ‘invited hate’ against Ms Burrows.

Tim Sparkes, defending, insisted Ms Burrows was not ‘a vulnerable victim’ but a ‘political activist’ who had started the conversation and also been the first to use a derogatory word.

He said the pair had known each other and exchanged opinions for five years.

Mr Sparkes told the court: ‘They have diametrically opposed views they have set out on a number of occasions so it is not a new relationship or a new argument.

‘Both put themselves out there in the public domain.’

He described the ‘discussion point’ as centring on Ms Burrows believing ‘transgenders should be allowed to use female facilities with the defendant taking the contrary view’.

Mr Sparkes added: ”If you are a person who starts up the conversation it is difficult to see how you exhibit vulnerabilities.’

Ogilvie admitted a charge of sending by public communication an offensive and obscene message during the exchange on October 2 last year.

In a ‘victim impact statement’ read to Portsmouth Crown Court, Ms Burrows said Ogilvie had ‘misgendered me’ during the public exchange.

She added: ‘The comments about my genitalia were humiliating and degrading. It’s led to me being anxious and stopping me going out.

‘The anxiety the defendant has caused me has led me to rethink who I am and to think about returning to the closet.

‘I am a transgender woman and am scared of the consequences.

‘Her harassment made it difficult for me to be out as a transgender woman in Portsmouth.’

District judge David Robinson told Ogilvie her views were not criminal but her ‘behaviour became criminal’ with the offensive messages ‘demonstrating hostility’.

He added: ‘The comments seen by Ivy and others left her humiliated and degraded and sought to sexualise her and suggest she was a paedophile.’

Ogilvie was given a one-year community order with 120 hours of unpaid word and 15 rehabilitation days.

She was also ordered to pay £300 compensation, a surcharge of £95 and costs of £85 and handed a restraining order not to contact the victim for 12 months.

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