Akinwale Arobieke

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Akinwale Arobieke
Arobieke following his arrest in 2003
Born July 1961
Toxteth, Liverpool
Alias(es) Purple Aki
Charge(s) Manslaughter (1988)
Indecent assault (2001)
Indecent assault (2003)
Witness intimidation (2003)
Conviction(s) Manslaughter (1988)
Indecent assault (2001)
Indecent assault (2003)
Witness intimidation (2003)
Status Incarcerated

Akinwale Arobieke (born July 1961),[1] known locally in North West England as Purple Aki, is a convicted Nigerian criminal from Liverpool, United Kingdom. He was widely believed to be an urban legend until his imprisonment in 2001. He was well known as a "bogeyman" in the area, with stories of his activity reaching as far as Wigan, Greater Manchester, Rhyl and Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Arobieke has a highly distinctive and intimidating appearance: he is a 6 ft 5 in (200 cm) tall bodybuilder who weighs 20 stone (130 kg).[2][3] His activities are sexually motivated, a fact which was recognised in 2006 by Liverpool Magistrates' Court, when Merseyside Police successfully applied to them for a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.[4]

Contents

[edit] Early criminal history

In the late 1980s a young man named Gary Kelly was electrocuted at New Brighton railway station, allegedly whilst running away from Arobieke. Arobieke was convicted of his manslaughter, but successfully appealed the conviction on the grounds that he had not acted unlawfully by 'standing on the platform and looking into trains'.[5]

He appeared in court on 22 November 2001, pleading not guilty to fifty counts of indecent assault and harassment against fourteen teenage boys between February 1995 and September 2000. He was convicted of threatening behaviour and was jailed for thirty months.[6]

Released in 2003, Arobieke resumed his activities and was quickly arrested and charged with fifteen counts of harassment. During the course of the trial 123 people were interviewed by police, including one family who were forced into the Witness Protection Programme as a result of threats from Arobieke. This led to Arobieke being additionally charged with witness intimidation. On 15 December 2003 he was jailed for six years by Preston Crown Court, pleading guilty to the charges. When sentencing Arobieke, Judge Slinger said: "You are a danger to young men and your behaviour is both strange and obsessive". After the case, Detective Superintendant Mike Dale commented as follows: "Over the years Akinwale Arobieke has been persistent in his pursuit and harassment of a number of young men, instilling fear into them. We are pleased with the sentencing. Most importantly it's to the credit of the witnesses, who despite their fears and apprehensions, have remained steadfast and determined to see justice done and this man prosecuted to stop him from making other peoples' lives a misery."[7]

[edit] Muscle touching ban

Arobieke was released on licence from prison on 26 October 2006. Unusually, Merseyside police applied to Liverpool Magistrates' Court for an interim Sexual Offences Prevention Order against him, although he was never convicted of a sex offence. Under the terms of the order, Arobieke was banned from touching, feeling or measuring muscles, asking people to do squat exercises in public, entering the towns of St Helens, Warrington or Widnes without police permission and loitering near schools, gyms or sports clubs.[8] The ban was later overturned as "draconian" [9] but remained in force after a successful appeal by police.[10]

On May 24, 2007 Arobieke approached a man in a shopping centre in Preston and commented upon the size of his biceps before "touching them without permission". He was arrested shortly afterward on suspicion of breaching his Sexual Offences Prevention Order, and remanded in custody.[10]

He was later convicted of breaching this order[11] and jailed for a further 15 months.[12], with the muscle touching ban being made permanent.[12]

[edit] Muscle touching ban appeal

In July 2008 Arobieke was unsuccessful in trying to overturn the 'muscle touching ban' at one point being also accused of 'behaving erratically' in court.[13] During the court case, details of Arobieke's "stalker’s manual" were disclosed; a book Arobieke had compiled that was "full of details about victims' body measurements, contact numbers and families." It was alleged that Arobieke would "do research into his victim, confronting them with such details as their father's car registration number or sibling's place of education."[2]

During the court case DC Patrick Kilgannon told how "Arobieke became sexually aroused while forcing terrified young men to perform "inverted piggybacks" – ordering them to squat so he could lean over their backs with his face by their buttocks and his genitalia on their necks, while squeezing their quad muscles".[2] During the court case Arobieke made an apology to his victims, and admitted that he was "infamous, notorious, everything from a bogeyman to whatever".[14]

However, later in 2008 he approached a terrified 17 year old victim in Birkenhead and asked to feel his biceps. By doing so Aribieke was in breach of the Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) which specifically prohibited him from approaching young men and touching their muscles. Arobieke was subsequently arrested, charged, tried and convicted for his breach of the SOPO.

[edit] Jailed for 18 months

On 30 April 2009, Arobieke was jailed for 18 months. The presiding judge had been informed that it was Arobieke's second breach of the SOPO and his 72nd offence since 1980.[15]

[edit] The legend of Purple Aki

Stories about a man named 'Purple Aki', partially based upon Arobieke,[7][8] were common amongst children in Merseyside and the surrounding areas throughout the 1980s and 1990s.[16][17] 'Purple Aki' was said to have earned his name because he was "so black he was purple",[18] or more fancifully because he had purple hair or a cape.[19] As with most urban legends the details varied considerably, but stories usually involved 'Purple Aki' pursuing or capturing school children and then mutilating, raping or murdering them. He was also said to carve the initials 'P.A.' into the buttocks of his victims.

In June 2008, a large banner was flown at the Glastonbury Festival saying "arr mate!!! Purple Aki jus' gripped us in a porta loo." Dave McCabe, lead singer of The Zutons commented on the flag during their set, saying, "Bad shout out to the lads with the Purple flag."[20][21]

The Scouse mythology of Purple Aki has been satirised on a spoof cartoon called "The adventures of Purple Ackey" (sic) [22]

[edit] References

  1. ^ England and Wales Court of Appeal (2004-07-30). "Underwood & Ors, R v (2004) EWCA Crim 2256". http://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/markup.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/2004/2256.html&query=Arobieke&method=boolean. Retrieved on 2008-06-04. 
  2. ^ a b c Aki's 'let me squeeze muscles' appeal - Liverpool Echo.co.uk
  3. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8027540.stm
  4. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6087922.stm
  5. ^ R v Arobieke [1988], CA
  6. ^ Liverpool Daily Post, 23rd November 2001.
  7. ^ a b St. Helens Today (2003-12-18). "Purple Aki jailed". http://www.sthelenstoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=70&ArticleID=713136. Retrieved on 2007-03-19. 
  8. ^ a b BBC News (2006-10-23). "Man banned from touching muscles". http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6087922.stm. Retrieved on 2007-03-19. 
  9. ^ BBC News (2007-02-23). "'Muscle touching' ban overturned". http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6390471.stm. Retrieved on 2007-02-23. 
  10. ^ a b Liverpool Echo (2007-06-28). "'Muscles man' Aki arrested again". http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2007/06/28/--8216-muscles-man--8217--aki-arrested-again-100252-19368950/. Retrieved on 2007-06-28. 
  11. ^ Lancashire Evening Post (2007-11-14). "Sex Offender breached court order". http://www.lep.co.uk/news/Sex-offender-breached-court-order.3488565.jp. Retrieved on 2008-01-18. 
  12. ^ a b Liverpool Daily Post (2008-02-15). "Man must stop touching muscles". http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/tm_method=full&objectid=20478756&siteid=50061-name_page.html. Retrieved on 2008-03-19. 
  13. ^ Muscles pervert "erratic" in court - Liverpool Daily Post.co.uk
  14. ^ Aki: I’m sorry for my touching of men’s muscles. I know it was wrong - Liverpool Echo.co.uk
  15. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8027540.stm
  16. ^ "Purple Aki" (HTML). Urban Dictionary. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=purple+aki. Retrieved on 2007-07-01. 
  17. ^ "Question of the Week: Local Nutters" (HTML). B3ta. http://www.b3ta.com/questions/localnutters/post15017/. Retrieved on 2008-03-30. 
  18. ^ "Question of the Week: Local Nutters" (HTML). B3ta. http://www.b3ta.com/questions/localnutters/post15041/. Retrieved on 2008-03-30. 
  19. ^ "Question of the Week: Local Nutters" (HTML). B3ta. http://www.b3ta.com/questions/localnutters/post15225/. Retrieved on 2008-03-30. 
  20. ^ Picture 1 of flag
  21. ^ Picture 2 of flag
  22. ^ Youtube Clip of "The adventures of Purple Ackey"
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