Gayle Newland was described by Judge Roger Dutton as “deceitful, “callous” and “highly manipulative.”
But to me, as I sat in court, it seemed her distress at receiving eight years behind bars was genuine and overwhelming.
Newland, and her highly supportive family and friends sat in the public gallery, were clearly not prepared for such a heavy sentence.
The bizarre, lurid, and occasionally comical details which emerged during the trial have captivated what must be approaching millions of people.
As Nigel Power, QC, noted during the sentencing hearing, the case has made headlines in the local, national and international media.
Photo issued by Cheshire Police of Gayle Newland, who has been jailed for 8 years after she duped her female friend into having sex by pretending to be a man for two years. Photo by Cheshire Police/PA Wire
No-one watching the case could quite get to grips with the dynamic of the relationship between defendant and victim, and I found myself utterly astonished on more than one occasion.
Watching professional, serious barristers and judges discussing the features of a particular brand of prosthetic, strap-on penis was a surreal experience.
No doubt the 12 jurors, probably somewhat excited by the prospect of jury service, were completely unprepared for the extraordinary deeply personal evidence they would have to consider. But when the details are stripped away, the case revolved around two troubled, broken young women.
Gayle Newland jailed for 8 years
Shock in courtroom as sentence revealed Police mushot released Judge’s sentencing in his own words The sentencing as it happened Defendant prepares to receive sentence Lawyers speak of ‘strangest’ case Detective speaks out re public interest Newland guilty of duping friend into sex 
Today’s hearing was deeply unpleasant, with court professionals used to dealing with hardened criminals forced to drag a terrified and hysterical young woman to the cells, screaming for her family.
Court reporting does inevitably lead to a sense of detachment from the often strange, sinister and distressing nature of criminal cases,
But sometimes real-life bursts into the artificial setting of a courtroom and reminds us what is at stake.
The sheer devastation of Newland and her family was difficult to watch and there will be many people disturbed by the seeming harshness of her punishment.
Gayle Newland. Picture by: Andy Stenning
Last week, I covered the case of predatory Wallasey paedophile Karl Bromley, who was jailed for 13 years at Liverpool Crown Court for 21 sexual assaults on nine boys and girls as young as four.
Bromley’s actions were truly sickening, and left more than one family in pieces.
But with most prisoners serving half of their sentences before being considered for release, it is likely that Bromley will serve only two more years behind bars than Newland.
In another shocking case, Anthony Sherlock, from Edge Hill, could be released in just over six years after repeatedly battering his girlfriend around the head with an iron in a drunken rage, leaving her in a pool of blood.
This in no way should take away from the huge impact Newland’s actions had on the victim, who says she feels trapped in an “invisible prison” of social isolation by Newland’s deceit.
She was found guilty of a serious, devastating crime and the law is the law, but Newland is no monster and many will find it difficult to understand what has happened to her.
Whether Newland will appeal her sentence remains to be seen, but there were no winners today and I doubt these will be the last words written on her sad fate.
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/