A man who is required to give police 24 hours’ notice before he has sex has said he plans to go on hunger strike to protest the order.
The single man in his 40s, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was cleared after a rape allegation last year, but remains under an interim Sexual Risk Order (SRO), which requires him to contact police 24 hours before engaging in sexual activity with a new partner – giving her name, address and date of birth.
Previously, the man called the order “unjust”, saying that it had made his life a “virtual prison”.
“It’s just so unjust, there is not a conviction to my name – one allegation, acquitted, and they can still shut you down,” he said.
To protest the order, he has decided to go on a hunger strike, beginning Wednesday. If police ignore his protest, he said, it would “continue to either a satisfactory or a natural conclusion”.
“I have no life under this order,” he said. “This order condemns me to a life alone and without work. I have seen nothing but bitter injustice these last two years.
I cannot, and will not live like this. Who could? I am, and always was, innocent just like the jury said.”
In a recent statement, he said: “I intend to commence hunger strike in protest over the SRO to which I am subject.
“I protest that even though a jury found me unanimously not guilty, after nearly two years I still find myself being punished for a crime that never happened.
“I protest to being subject to an order that is unlawful in almost every syllable, is unjustified and is so extreme as to be utterly unliveable.
"Home Office guidelines clearly explain the types of behaviour that SROs are designed to prevent, and none of it applies in any way to me.
"The law has been misapplied deliberately by North Yorkshire Police out of sour grapes over being shown to be prejudicial and incompetent in their investigation of the original complaint against me.”
A Sexual Risk Order can be applied to anyone whom the police believe poses a risk of sexual harm, regardless of whether they have been convicted of a crime.
The man previously admitted to having an interest in sado-masochistic sex, and used to visit a fetish club with an ex-partner, but denies having any criminal convictions.
Outside court, at his last appearance, the man said there was “no prospect” of a relationship for him at the moment
He said: “Can you imagine, 24 hours before sex? Come on”.
The man imitated talking to a woman, saying: “There’s a nice French restaurant I’d like to take you to, but first the police are just going to come around for a little chat.”
The case is due to be reviewed at York Magistrates Court on 14 July, before a full hearing on 19 August.
A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “North Yorkshire Police will only make an application to the Court for a Sexual Risk Order in circumstances where it is considered necessary to do so to protect the public from the risk of sexual harm.
“The full details of this case cannot be provided for the man’s own protection, but we are satisfied that our actions are justified.”
