Humza Yousaf confirmed that Police Scotland recorded crime figures under the gender that suspects provided

Male sex offenders can skew crime statistics and put women at risk by claiming to be female when arrested, it has emerged.

Humza Yousaf, the justice secretary, confirmed in parliament yesterday that criminal incidents are tracked according the self-identified gender of victims, witnesses and suspects. It prompted concerns that Scotland is introducing “self-identification through the back door” by allowing police and courts to record crimes according to the gender suspects feel they are.

Politicians, experts and women’s groups have warned that this could distort crime statistics and result in offenders who are male-bodied being placed in female-only refuges, exposing other inmates to danger and upset.

The Scottish government is seeking to reform the Gender Recognition Act to allow self-identification of gender without a medical diagnosis.