A bodybuilder has been handed a "substantial" out of court settlement from police following claims two offficers carried out a campaign to get him into trouble.
Akinwale Arobieke, who has previous criminal convictions and is well known in Merseyside, sued the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police for malicious prosecution and misfeasance in public office with the payout coming just weeks before the trial was set to start.
In his civil claim against GMP, Mr Arobieke alleged that from 2012 he was targeted by two particular officers, who are not being publicly named at this time, reports Liverpool Echo.
One of the officers is now a Detective Superintendent in the same force and the other officer cannot currently be named in any event for legal reasons.
Mr Arobieke alleged that after taking issue with him attending an event, those officers embarked upon a campaign against him, making false allegations that he had harassed the now Detective Superintendent, which culminated in the charge and prosecution of him.
Over the years Mr Arobieke's interest in squeezing young men's muscls has seen him locked up. In 2003 he was jailed for six years after being convicted of harassing 15 males.
Mr Arobieke said the officers embarked on their alleged campaign against him knowing that given a “draconian” court order in place against him, they would get him into trouble. Mr Arobieke successfully defended himself at the trial for harassment in 2013.
He instructed the Liverpool firm, James Murray solicitors, to assist him with pursuing GMP for compensation for misfeasance in public office and malicious prosecution.
Mr Arobieke said today: “This has been an ordeal from the outset of the allegations against me and the many years that my civil action has taken to conclude.
“It has caused me a great deal of anxiety and upset. I want to publicly thank Lee Massingham of James Murray solicitors and Stephen Simblet, QC of Garden Court North Chambers for their services in pursuing my case and securing me a substantial settlement from GMP”.
Mr Massingham said: “Mr Arobieke has been unfairly treated for many years particularly after a draconian Sexual Offences Prevention Order was made against him. He believes that the order has been abused on numerous occasions by a number of Forces and the events regarding this case are a very good example of this abuse.
“The order was lifted some time ago, but he has been forced to endure these proceedings for a number of years only to have the matter settled very soon before the trial. That said, I am delighted by the outcome of this case, for Mr Arobieke and feel he can now move on”.
A spokesperson for GMP said: "We can confirm GMP has settled the claim brought by Akinwale Arobieke and won't be commenting further."
