Man loses legal battle to get sex risk order lifted

A man who had to give police 24 hours’ notice before he has sex with a new partner has lost his legal battle to have the restriction lifted.

John O’Neill (45) lost his case after North Yorkshire Police argued he posed a risk to the public and should be subject to a Sexual Risk Order, despite him being acquitted of rape last year.

York Magistrates’ Court heard he made a series of worrying confessions to his GP and a psychiatric nurse, including choking a woman unconscious, thinking “a lot” about killing her and that he needed women “to be scared or I don’t respond”.

District Court Judge Adrian Lower said the terms of the order will be amended at a future hearing.

He said the condition that he gives the police 24 hours’ notice before he starts sexual contact with a new partner was “frankly unpoliceable”.

The new terms of the order will be agreed at a hearing on September 22nd.

Ban reaction

Mr O’Neill said he needs “to get back into society”.

After what he said was a “thoroughly humiliating day”, he admitted he lost the case after representing himself and said, “I didn’t know what I was doing”.

Though the judge ruled the order should remain in place, he said its terms will change.

Mr O’Neill said lifting the ban on him using the internet without the police being able to check his use would mean he could find a job.

Asked if the judge’s comments gave him hope of starting a relationship, he said: “My main concern is I’m homeless, I cannot work, I cannot claim benefits, I need to get back into society somehow.”

The former IT consultant has been living in a tent in woods outside York.

The terms of the interim order will continue until a hearing next month.