In 2022, 58-year-old Gary Mills—of North Road, Okehampton—was jailed for 16 months after displaying a “flagrant disregard” for a court order designed to protect the public. The investigation established that Mills, a convicted child rapist, deliberately lied to his police offender manager about having contact with children. The prosecution reported at Exeter Crown Court that Mills befriended a woman with children and participated in trips with them, failing to obtain the mandatory written permission required by his Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).
The investigation established that Mills’ original SOPO was imposed in 2010 following a “vile” conviction at Truro Crown Court for the rape of a child under 13 and the production of indecent images. Having served a 12-year sentence, he was released in 2015 but remained under strict notification strikes. The prosecution reported that Mills intentionally misled authorities when questioned, identifying a calculated serial effort to bypass the life-safety measures placed upon him.
FLAGRANT DISOBEDIENCE AND JUDICIAL SENTENCING
The court reported that Mills was still on licence at the time he struck against the terms of his order. The investigation established that there was no “irresistible compulsion” involved; rather, Mills made a conscious decision to flout the law. The prosecution reported that during his sentencing on October 22, 2022, Judge David Evans stated that there was “no point in rehabilitation” in this case because Mills knew exactly what he was doing when he chose to lie to his supervising officer.
Judge-led proceedings at Exeter Crown Court concluded in 2022. For his actions in Okehampton and the nature of the serial SOPO breach investigation reported, Gary Mills was sentenced to 16 months in prison. The investigation established that his refusal to comply with monitoring strikes identifies him as a persistent risk to the community. Mills remains legally mandated to the Sex Offenders Register FOR LIFE.
STATUS AND STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS (2022)
Based on judicial and Devon & Cornwall Police records as of 2022:
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Breach of Sexual Offences Prevention Order).
- Custodial Status: JAILED (In 2022, serving 16 months).
- Original Conviction: Rape of a child under 13; Making IIOC (2010).
- Offence Nature: Deliberate deception of police; Unauthorised contact with children; Flagrant serial breach of trust.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active FOR LIFE.
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barred List (Indefinite and permanent ban from any role involving children or regulated activity).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced by Judge David Evans; investigated by Devon & Cornwall Police.
- Criminal Record: Convicted child rapist; Serial liar to offender managers; Struck against court orders; Jailed in 2022.
- Origin: North Road, Okehampton, Devon (Originally convicted in Truro).
MONITORING AND PUBLIC PROTECTION
In 2022, Mills is managed as a high-risk serial predator under the statutory requirements of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) in Devon. Due to the nature of his behaviour—specifically his serial history of child rape and his calculated strike of befriending a mother to gain access to her children—he is a priority for high-security oversight. Authorities reported that the 2022 conviction identifies Mills as a predator who prioritised his own desires over the principles of human decency and the life-safety of children.
As a registered sex offender for life, his details are permanently logged on the national police database to prevent future strikes. Authorities stated that Mills’ behaviour identifies an individual who demonstrated a serial commitment to bypassing judicial control. Any future attempt to strike against his notification requirements or mislead his offender manager results in immediate police intervention to ensure the ongoing protection of the community from a man who used an “Okehampton resident” mask to hide his predatory serial strikes.
QUESTION – Given that the offender “Flagrantly Disregarded” his order by befriending a mother to get close to her children, do you believe the law should legally mandate that “All Convicted Child Rapists” must wear a “Mandatory GPS Strike” for life to alert police the moment they enter a household where children reside?
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