Purple Aki is appealling

[Kahnee]

An "infamous" criminal known as Purple Aki has launched an appeal to overturn an order banning him from squeezing people's muscles and asking them to do squat thrusts.

Akinwale Arobieke, 46, kept what he called a "stalker's manual" containing details of young men he became fascinated with.

He was jailed for six years in 2003 for 16 counts of harassment and has been known to the police for years because of what he admits was an "unusual interest in muscles, the development of muscles and the potential of young men to improve their physique".

When Arobieke was released from jail in 2006 - after racking up several complaints from other prison inmates and warders - Merseyside Police applied for a sexual offences prevention order against him.

It was granted by magistrates.

But now Arobieke, who has never been convicted of a sex assault, is bidding to have it quashed through a civil court hearing at Liverpool Crown Court.

He believes the magistrates made the order illegally and its terms were too punitive.

The case against Arobieke, formerly of Cavendish Gardens, Toxteth, Liverpool, is outlined in papers given to Judge William George, who is sitting with justices and without a jury.

Kenderik Horne, on behalf of Merseyside Police, said: "During the course of the investigation into the St Helens and Warrington offences, the appellant was arrested and his home searched.

"Police found numerous photographs of powerfully-built young men with personal details of the men and their families; copious hand-written notes in relation to other young males around the country including body part measurements and an address book (referred to as the 'stalker's manual') with an index of contact numbers including previous and ongoing victims, electoral roll numbers and victims' personal details."

Detective Constable Patrick Kilgannon told the court that 6ft 5in Arobieke, who is approximately 20 stone, would get young men to perform "inverted piggybacks".

He would lean over them, said Mr Kilgannon, his face by their buttocks and become sexually aroused while squeezing their quad muscles.

Arobieke scared three brothers so much one lived "under siege" and was prescribed Prozac.

Their mother told the police: "I was scared of my sons possibly getting raped by (the appellant).

"So much so I suffered from palpitations and was on beta-blockers for a while although I no longer take them."

Merseyside Police's barrister Mr Horne summed up Arobieke's modus operandi, saying: "The appellant would repeatedly approach boys and young men who did weight training or played rugby.

"Before some encounters, the appellant would do research into his victim, confronting them with such details as their father's car registration number or sibling's place of education.

"He would talk to complainants about their muscles.

"Then he would take them, often by car, to secluded locations.

"There he would feel their muscles, make them do squat thrusts and jump on their backs.

"Some of the complainants noticed the appellant became excited and out of breath, others could feel his erection against their buttocks.

"Reluctance would be met by intimidation and threats."

As well as being banned from feeling muscles and asking people to squat, under the Sexual Offences Prevention Order Arobieke is also forbidden from approaching under-18s; working with under-18s; driving unless the make, model and colour of the car are notified to police; going near schools, colleges, and universities without written permission from Merseyside's Chief Constable; entering or loitering around sports clubs and gyms and leaving Liverpool without telling the police.

Giving evidence from behind a curtain, a bodybuilding champion told the court Arobieke felt and prodded his muscles over three years.

He said the attention culminated in 1996 when on holiday in Tenerife and Arobieke stabbed him, for which he needed hospital treatment.

Arobieke's barrister Rob Wynn-Jones, whom he repeatedly beckoned during proceedings, denied the accusations, saying they were prompted by a fall-out the bodybuilder had with Arobeieke's brother.

He said: "You knew his reputation as Purple Aki and the stories that were going around."

Such is his reputation as Purple Aki that at last weekend's Glastonbury festival a huge purple flag could be seen featuring Arobieke's police mug shot and a defamatory allegation.

Mr Wynn-Jones said: "He became a local celebrity, infamous among younger members of the community."

The hearing which is due to go on until Friday was adjourned until tomorrow.

[Maldini]

This post is not viewable to guests.

You can sign in to your account at the login page here

If you do not have an account then you can register here

[SkippyjonJones]

This post is not viewable to guests.

You can sign in to your account at the login page here

If you do not have an account then you can register here

[Duncan Disorderly]

This post is not viewable to guests.

You can sign in to your account at the login page here

If you do not have an account then you can register here

[Guest Scot]

This post is not viewable to guests.

You can sign in to your account at the login page here

If you do not have an account then you can register here

[Clay Davis]

This post is not viewable to guests.

You can sign in to your account at the login page here

If you do not have an account then you can register here