Police must be told before man has sex
John O’Neill, aged 45, who was once described by a judge as a “very dangerous individual”, also discussed committing acts of sexual violence during a consultation with the nurse.
O’Neill, an IT consultant currently living rough in a wood, was appearing at York Magistrates’ Court for a hearing to decide whether an interim sexual risk order (SRO) should be made permanent or should end.
The single father of two from York is representing himself as he has lost his right to legal aid.
O’Neill was cleared of rape following a retrial at Teesside Crown Court last year.
Despite this, Judge Simon Bourne-Arton said: “Please could you inform the authorities that although this man has been acquitted, it is my judgment that he is a very dangerous individual.”
Oliver Thorne, representing North Yorkshire Police, referred to a consultation O’Neill had with a community psychiatric nurse, Kevin Holmes, to whom he had been referred by his GP.
The nurse gave evidence at the rape trial but was unavailable to attend the hearing before yesterday’s district judge, Adrian Lower.
The nurse recorded notes from the meeting saying O’Neill had feelings of rage, anger, and violence.
“He has been sexually violent to past girlfriends and he was not sure if they consented,” said Thorne, referring to the notes.
In 2010 he noticed a change in himself, the notes state, and “he stopped asking girlfriends if they consented to sex with him”.
The nurse noted he was “preoccupied with killing himself and others” and he found the idea “soothing”.
Thorne, outlining the police case, said SROs could be imposed even if there was no conviction.
O’Neill, who has previously admitted to having an interest in sado-masochism and used to attend a Fifty Shades of Grey-style fetish club, had claimed the order breached his human rights and said he had no prospect of forming a relationship while he lived by its terms.
The hearing continues.
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