Man must tell police if he intends have sex 'as soon as reasonably practicable'

A man who confided in medics that he had violent fantasies about women must tell police if he intends to have a sexual relationship "as soon as reasonably practicable", a judge has ruled.

Previously, John O'Neill, 45, had to give North Yorkshire Police 24 hours notice before he had sex with a new partner, under the terms of an interim sexual risk order (SRO).

The IT consultant from York was cleared of rape at Teesside Crown Court last year, but was still considered to be "very dangerous" by the trial judge, who urged the authorities to take steps to protect women.

That was because Mr O'Neill, who has never been convicted of any offence, had spoken to his GP and his psychiatric nurse about choking women unconscious, and needing partners to be scared "or I don't respond".

Following a series of hearings at York Magistrates' Court, District Judge Adrian Lower ruled the interim SRO should be made permanent, and on Thursday he imposed a new set of 12 restrictions.

The judge said the previous 24-hour notice obligation was disproportionate.

But he said the single father of two, who has a history of sado-masochistic sex with a previous partner and attended a university fetish club, was prohibited from "engaging in sexual activity with any female" unless he told police "of his intention as soon as reasonably practicable".

After the hearing a North Yorkshire Police statement said the fact that the conditions it called for were granted showed that the force "had taken the correct course of action to safeguard and protect the public from the risk" posed by Mr O'Neill.

"It is the priority of North Yorkshire Police to protect the public from the risk of sexual harm," it said.

Mr O'Neill said the conditions of the SRO meant there was "not a chance" of him having a relationship with a woman.

After the hearing he said: "If people cannot make honest disclosures to their doctor without fear of being slapped with an SRO that can literally sever you from society, we are all in trouble.

"If you had told me this was possible in England, I wouldn't have believed you."

He said he intended to appeal against it.