An Australian trans-identified male who has pleaded guilty to aggravated counts of producing and possessing child exploitation material, gross indecency and indecent assault, has been boasting in court of his plans to become “famous” once released from custody. Rachel Queen Burton, who had previously amassed a substantial following on TikTok as a “proud trans woman,” repeatedly abused two children, and then stalked them and their family into homelessness before he began claiming to be a “woman.”
Appearing in the South Australia District Court via video link on Monday, Burton told the mother of the two children he sexually abused that he was still “the queen,” and said he would go to the media to “tell [his] side of the story,” reports Adelaide Now.
During court proceedings, the prosecution highlighted an affidavit drafted in February wherein Burton told his mother during a prison phone call of his plans to “tell his side of the story” to media and become “famous” following his release from custody.
“I’m still famous, I’m still number one. I’m still the queen and then … my name will be loud. I’ll be famous. I’ll be known, very well known,” the report read.
The victims had previously criticized Burton as a “gross, phony, self-indulgent” pedophile who was masking his true persona.
A transgender TikToker from Australia has pleaded guilty to repeatedly sexually abusing two children and producing child sexual exploitation material.
— REDUXX (@ReduxxMag) February 6, 2024
Rachel Queen Burton stalked his victims and their mother until they were homeless.https://t.co/M3RBQRDIZj
“You are a gross, phony, self-indulgent thing who has cheated my children out of so much, and took it away from them without care,” the victims’ mother said.
“In your online rants, you showed no remorse for your bad behavior, all while knowing what you had done … getting an audience for your false life was far more important. You can wear any mask you like, but the truth is out and everybody knows who you really are, finally.”
The victims’ mother described how, after she discovered Burton’s abuse, she fled the area with her children, only to be followed by the sexual predator. She told the court that at one point, she and her children were residing in a police-issued safe house until Burton “showed up at the window, peering in,” causing them to flee again.
However, a psychological report presented as evidence in court proceedings determined there was insufficient evidence to suggest Burton meets the clinical threshold for a diagnosis of pedophilic disorder.
Burton was best known for his popular TikTok account, which had over 36,000 followers and boasted 418,000 ‘likes.’ On his profile, which has since been removed, he had described himself as a “proud trans woman” who is “living my best life with no regrets.”
In January 2022, Burton posted a video announcing he had been on hormone replacement therapy for 1 month and providing his viewers an update on his physical health.
“I [thought] I was supposed to get moody. But I haven’t been moody since starting the testosterone blockers … I got a little bitchy — just a little bitchy, that was when I was straight on the estrogen,” Burton explains, “I still cry. I still cry heaps. I’m still an emotional wreck. But it’s a nice emotion.”
Burton was first arrested in October of 2022 by the elite Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team and charged with child abuse and exploitation offenses. In December that year, Burton had denied the allegations, but pleaded guilty to the charges in February. Though Burton is from Coolalinga in the Northern Territory, the crimes were committed in the Southern state.
Burton claimed to have struggled with his “gender identity” throughout his life and as such, requested a leniency from the court during sentencing.
Counsel for Burton argued that his incarceration had been “traumatic,” and added that it was important for the court to take into consideration that Burton started to claim a transgender status “prior to any complaint being made.”
Burton has lodged complaints of being mistreated by other inmates at the Mount Gambier Prison, where he is being detained, in addition to a lack of care for his wellbeing and safety. His complaints have been rejected by the Department for Correctional Services.
The case will return to court in December this year. Burton faces a maximum 14-year prison term which, under South Australian law, must be served in custody.
Burton’s case was first reported by The Advertiser, which referred to Burton as a “woman” and utilized feminine pronouns for him.