Trending
Akinwale Arobieke wins ‘substantial’ pay out from Greater Manchester Police
Akinwale Arobieke is infamous across the North West for his obsession with muscles
A convicted offender has been handed a ‘substantial’ out of court settlement from Greater Manchester Police.
Akinwale Arobieke, sometimes known by the offensive nickname ‘Purple Aki’, became well-known across the North West throughout the 1980s and 1990s for his inappropriate behaviour with young rugby players. He would allegedly ask to touch their muscles, order them to squat, and attempt to offer exercise advice.
However, while Arobieke always maintained his actions were innocent, in 1986 he was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter when sixteen-year-old Gary Kelly electrocuted himself on railway line in Wirral when running away from him.
He was also found guilty of indecent assault and harassment of fourteen different boys.
Arobieke was sentenced to thirty months in prison but, half way through his sentence, he appealed his conviction, eventually overturning it and winning £35,000 in compensation.
After being released, however, Arobieke was arrested for fifteen charges of harassment and witness intimidation and sentenced to a further six years in prison.
And it was after his latest release from jail in 2006 that Merseyside Police took the unusual decision of applying for the muscle-ban Sexual Offences Prevention Order.
Yet despite numerous convictions for breaching his order – one of which included caressing a sixteen-year-old lad’s calf and quadricep muscles in 2010 – the sixty-year-old has now received a pay-out after suing Greater Manchester Police for malicious prosecution and misfeasance in public office.
gmpolice / Twitter
In his civil claim against GMP, Arobieke alleged that from 2012, he was targeted by two particular officers, who are not being publicly named at this time.
He claimed that those officers embarked upon a ‘campaign’ against him, making false allegations that he had harassed a now detective superintendent, which culminated in the charge and prosecution of him.
Arobieke said today of his win: “This has been an ordeal from the outset of the allegations against me and the many years that my civil action has taken to conclude.
“It has caused me a great deal of anxiety and upset. I want to publicly thank Lee Massingham of James Murray solicitors and Stephen Simblet, QC of Garden Court North Chambers for their services in pursuing my case and securing me a substantial settlement from GMP.”
Mikey / Flickr
Lee Massingham added: “Mr. Arobieke has been unfairly treated for many years particularly after a draconian Sexual Offences Prevention Order was made against him.
“He believes that the order has been abused on numerous occasions by a number of Forces and the events regarding this case are a very good example of this abuse.
“The order was lifted some time ago, but he has been forced to endure these proceedings for a number of years only to have the matter settled very soon before the trial.”
A GMP spokesperson said: “We can confirm GMP has settled the claim brought by Akinwale Arobieke and won’t be commenting further.”