A "predatory and highly manipulative" rapist and paedophile has been jailed for life after a court heard how she used a transgender persona to attack female prisoners.

Karen White, 52, who was born a man, used the guise of wanting to change sex to convince the authorities to place her in a women’s prison where she sexually assaulted two female inmates.

White carried out the attacks at New Hall women's prison in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, while being held on remand accused of a knife attack on a neighbour and raping two women.

Leeds Crown Court heard how she used her "transgender persona" to put herself in contact with vulnerable women.

White, formerly known as David Thompson, had a history of sexually offending which stretched back to 1989 when he indecently exposed himself to a nine year old boy near a children’s playground.

In 2001 he sexually assaulted and committed gross indecency on a 12 year old boy in Leeds, and two years later raped a pregnant woman after spiking her soft drink with vodka.

He also committed multiple rapes of a 23 year old woman before changing his gender and demanding to be known as Karen.

But other than changing her name and wearing wigs and women’s clothing, White made no effort to embark on gender reassignment, the court was told.