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Apologies if this has already been posted, I know there are lots of other threads about this guy on the messageboard. I grew up in the South West in the 1980s and I'm convinced the rumour that "Purple Aky" would get you did the rounds at my school even though he was doing his thing up in Liverpool.

From BBC website, Apr 28:

Man 'breached muscle-squeeze ban'
A 47-year-old man broke a ban on him approaching young men and touching their muscles, a court has heard.

Akinwale Arobieke, of Toxteth, Liverpool - known as "Purple Aki" - was jailed in 2003 for harassment.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Mr Arobieke asked a 17-year-old to show him his biceps - after a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (Sopo) was imposed.

Mr Arobieke denies approaching the boy and breaching the Sopo in June last year, two months after it was made.

The court heard Mr Arobieke had a "predilection" for approaching young men and touching or feeling their muscles.

His reputation had spread across north-west England and was considered by many to be an urban myth, the jury heard.

'Very frightened'

The prosecution said the Sopo was imposed in April last year and banned him from approaching males under the age of 18, touching their muscles and asking them to squat.

Trevor Parry Jones, prosecuting, said two months later Mr Arobieke approached a 17-year-old in the street in Birkenhead and asked to see his biceps.

When the teenager realised it was "Purple Aki", he ran away "very frightened and very shaken", Mr Parry Jones said.

Speaking from behind a curtain, the teenager said: "As I turned a corner I heard a sound behind me so I turned around and he was there.

"He said he had noticed me around the area and asked me had I been working out.

"He asked me how much I could bench (press)."

Allegation 'false'

The boy told the court that Mr Arobieke then pointed to his arms and asked to see the youngster's biceps.

The boy said: "As soon as I heard that I realised who it was. I backed away and told him I had to go.

"I felt sick and walked away as fast as I could. I went to a friend's house and looked back but he had gone."

The following month the youngster picked out Mr Arobieke in a video identity parade organised by police.

Mark Barlow, defending, told the jury that Mr Arobieke had once been convicted of the manslaughter of Gary Kelly, a distant relative of the victim, but the conviction was later quashed by the Court of Appeal.

Cross-examining the teenager, Mr Barlow said: "Your allegation is a false one, borne out of connection between Gary Kelly and your family and an opportunity to get back at Mr Arobieke."

The trial continues.

And from Apr 30:

Man jailed for muscle-squeezing
A man has been jailed for 18 months for breaking a ban on approaching young men and touching their muscles.

Akinwale Arobieke, 47, formerly of Toxteth, Liverpool, and known as "Purple Aki", was given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order last year.

But two months later he approached a 17-year-old boy and tried to touch his biceps, Liverpool Crown Court was told.

The order was imposed on Arobieke after he was jailed for six years in 2003 for 16 counts of harassment.

His reputation has spread across north-west England where he is known by the nickname "Purple Aki" and is considered by many to be an urban myth, the jury was told.

Bench presses

His latest victim, now aged 18, said he was left feeling "frightened and sick" after Arobieke followed him in Birkenhead in June last year.

He asked the boy how many bench presses he could do.

The boy told the court: "He pointed to my arms and asked if he could see.

"He then lifted his hand towards my biceps and I realised who it was. I backed away and told him I had to go.

"I felt sick and walked away as fast as I could. I went to a friend's house and looked back but he had gone."

Bodybuilder Arobieke had pleaded not guilty.

It was his second breach of the order and his 72nd offence since 1980, the judge was told.

[/quote]

Posted: 08-05-2009 10:26 Post subject:

I'd never heard of 'Purple Aki' until a few years ago. I grew up in the south-east so I guess it wasn't really news down my way.

Did he actually ever do anything more sinister than ask to see young lads biceps? Seems odd that someone could enter the national conciousness purely for being a local oddball.

Surely ever town/city has a local weirdo. How did this guy's legend spread beyonf Merseyside in a pre-internet age?

Posted: 09-05-2009 23:14 Post subject:

I grew up in the South West but I had heard of Purple Acky.

Posted: 10-05-2009 10:15 Post subject:

You know you've made it when you have a wiki entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akinwale_Arobieke

Sadly it seems he is responsible for a manslaughter. But I don't really understand the fear surrounding this character. As a 17 year old lad I would havre lamped some pervert asking me about how much I press and then wanting to touch me. Was he 7ft tall or something?

Posted: 10-05-2009 10:20 Post subject:

Posted: 10-05-2009 11:31 Post subject:

Clearly I didn't read my own link with any attention! Maybe I would have been slightly less likely to lamp him than I first thought...

Posted: 25-05-2009 10:53 Post subject:

http://a585.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/102/l_b4c07954f05eb8a000d8996ac31018d8.jpg

Been hearing about his exploits from Merseysiders on punk forums for donkeys years. We even had a poster claiming to be him Very Happy

Posted: 31-05-2009 14:59 Post subject:

that poster pretending to be him was possibly onion who was in xwithdrawnx. allegedly.

Posted: 30-06-2009 22:33 Post subject:

At this year's Glastonbury someone in front of the Pyramid stage while Blur were playing had an enormous banner saying something like "Mam, Purple Aki just groped me in a portaloo". Amazing, I wish I'd taken a photo.

Posted: 05-07-2009 00:14 Post subject:

This one, from Wikipedia?
http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/8584/25fhoj8yl8.jpg

Who the frell made that banner??

Posted: 17-07-2009 01:13 Post subject:

Posted: 17-07-2009 07:56 Post subject:

For our American readers:

The banner says 'gripped', not 'groped'. 'Gripped' means grabbed or clutched in a purposeful way, as when a policeman grips an escaping offender.

Prison officers and court security staff are often known as 'grippers'. Dunno if this is a Scouse term but I wouldn't be surprised. Laughing

Posted: 17-07-2009 13:39 Post subject:

Posted: 18-07-2009 22:01 Post subject: