A WOMAN posed as a man to trick her girlfriend into sex during a two-year relationship has been jailed.

       Blade Silvano sexually assaulted the victim after they met on dating site Plenty of Fish.

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       Blade Silvano pretended to be a man to trick her girlfriend into sex Credit: James Linsell-Clark/ 4

       Silvano claimed on the dating site she was a "man looking for a woman" Credit: PA

       The 40-year-old used an "unknown object" and wore boxer shorts and an oversized t-shirt to dupe the woman into believing she was a man.

       She also sent pictures of her appearing to wet shave during the "unspeakably cruel" web of lies.

       Her deceit was so great that the victim even planned on marrying Silvano until she uncovered the dark truth.

       Silvano has now been jailed for ten years and six months after she was convicted of two counts of assault by penetration.

       Sentencing, Judge Philip Grey said it was not a case of gender dysphoria but of using "deceit and lies" to achieve sexual gratification.

       He added: "You managed your appearance carefully to look like a man.

       "You deliberately set out to deceive her (and) did so in the most reprehensible way.

       "She was convinced she was having sex with a man. You achieved this with a series of careful deceptions. Her consent is null and void."

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       Cambridge Crown Court heard the pair met in 2016 when Silvano posted on the site claiming she was a "man looking for a woman".

       They met in person in December that year and kissed before having sexual intercourse on two separate occasions.

       The couple also exchanged thousands of messages - including ones referring to Silvano as a "big strong handsome guy".

       She also went to try on wedding dresses with her sister after Silvano suggested they get married.

       The victim only discovered Silvano's true identity two years later when her contacts synced on a new Facebook account and revealed a different surname.

       The serial fantasist, who also lied about being an Army officer, claimed during her trial that the relationship was based on roleplay.

       She claimed the victim's "sexual fantasy" was to have sex with a woman, which was denied, and that they never met in person.

       But her lies were rejected by judge Philip Grey, who said it was "some of the most dishonest evidence I've heard in my time on the bench".

       Silvano, of Bishop's Castle, Shropshire, was placed her on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

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       Silvano had plans to marry the victim Credit: MARKET TIMES 4

       She spun a web of lies in court Credit: PA