Staffordshire Police policy places biological men in women's cells despite Supreme Court ruling

Staffordshire Police’s custody policy permits detainees to be placed in accommodation that matches their self‑identified gender. Under the new rules, biological men who identify as transgender women can be housed in cells designated for women, even though the UK Supreme Court’s April 2025 judgment clarified that sex under equality law refers to biological sex. Documents obtained through freedom‑of‑information requests show the force explicitly commits to self‑identification while also stating that male and female detainees are kept separate for safeguarding.

Critics, including Women’s Rights Network director Cathy Larkman, argue the policy breaches the Supreme Court decision and shows a “disregard for the rights of women.” The police maintain that separate cells are used and that search decisions are made on an individual basis, but the guidance on strip‑searches and the treatment of Gender Recognition Certificates has been described as contradictory and ideologically driven.