Transgender butcher who police say is a man is on trial over the disappearance of a schoolgirl

A transgender butcher – who police say is a man – charged in Scotland over the disappearance of an 11-year-old schoolgirl has arrived at court in pink nail polish.

Andrew George Miller, 53, has been charged after the child was found safe and well at a home near Galashiels on Monday night.

The suspect – who arrived at Selkirk Sheriff Court covered in a blanket but with his polished nails visible – identifies as a woman named Amy George but has both male and female identities on social media.

Miller’s now-closed butcher shop, Millers of Melrose, was mentioned in one of JK Rowling’s novels on the strike, and at one point the relevant passage was displayed in the shop window.

Police Scotland sparked debate yesterday after declaring Miller was a man.

Andrew Miller arrived at Selkirk Sheriff Court covered by a blanket but with his pink fingernails showing

Andrew George Miller, 53, has been charged over an 11-year-old schoolgirl who went missing this weekend

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly referred to biologically male criminals by their chosen female pronouns.

Ms Sturgeon has come under constant pressure over her gender recognition reform bill over concerns it could make it easier for predatory men to impersonate women.

After the Isla Bryson scandal, in which a rapist who attacked two women identified himself as a woman, she faced a whirlwind of criticism in an effort to ease her prison sentence.

As is customary in Scottish law, it is not specified what offense or offenses Miller has been charged with by the police.

The suspect identifies as a woman named Amy George but has two social media profiles and posts under both male (left) and female identities. Gender issues in Scotland have become an increasingly difficult issue for Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, right.

Miller’s Amy George social media page includes a series of images in the suspect’s female ID

A black-and-white photo of Miller is on one of the accused suspect’s social media pages

Under the male identity, Miller appeared keenly interested in Ms Sturgeon’s new law, posting online in January this year: “Stupid Billies in Westminster – Never mess with Scottish transgender issues.”

A team of coroners was seen at Miller’s home in the village of Gattonside.

It’s three miles from where the elementary school student was last seen before she went missing.

A neighbor said: “A man was seen being put in the back of the police vehicle.

“It’s a really affluent area and extremely quiet so it all came as a bit of a shock. The person who lives there used to run the butcher shop in Melrose.

“They now use a woman’s name but were formerly known as Andrew and are well known in the community.”

The 53-year-old arrested for the disappearance was identified as a man in police public relations yesterday.

The Let Women Speak rally organized by the group Standing for Women in Glasgow’s George Square to support the UK Government’s use of a Section 35 regulation to block Scotland’s recent gender recognition reform bill

Protesters take part in the Let Women Speak rally organized by the group Standing for Women in Glasgow’s George Square over the weekend

A statement from the Armed Forces said: “A 53-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of an 11-year-old girl from Galashiels, who was reported missing on Sunday 5 February.

“The girl was tracked down to a property in the Galashiels area around 9.30pm on Monday 6 February. The investigation into the circumstances is still ongoing.”

Police who searched for her were assisted by volunteers, the Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team and the Borders Search and Rescue Unit while a helicopter searched the area.

Specialist water search teams searched the River Tweed for leads while the public was urged to check their outbuildings and sheds for any sign of the missing boy. At a press conference outside Galashiels Police Station on Monday, the area commander asked Chief Superintendent Catriona Paton for information.

Police publicly announced that the girl was discovered “safe and well” around 10.30pm Monday and thanked everyone for their search efforts.