In 2019, the Offender Database reported that Michael Parnell, then 46, was sent back to prison after “viciously” breaching his release conditions by living in a house with a young girl. Parnell, a convicted child rapist, appeared at Truro Crown Court, Cornwall, on Wednesday, 6 March 2019, where he admitted to “vile” and “serious” breaches of his monitoring requirements.
Parnell has a “horrendous” criminal history; he was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2006 for a “vicious” catalogue of crimes. These included seven counts of raping a girl under 13, raping a girl under 16, raping a woman, indecent assault, and attempted rape. Despite his “serious” record, upon his release in 2016, he “dishonestly” failed to follow the rules designed to protect the public.
“Vile” Deception and Shared Beds
The investigation by Devon and Cornwall Police revealed that between November 2018 and February 2019, Parnell lived with a girlfriend near Helston, Cornwall. He “callously” failed to disclose his “vile” convictions to her. When the woman’s two children joined them, Parnell “viciously” remained in the home and even shared a bed with his girlfriend and her young daughter.
The prosecution reported that the young girl felt “viciously” uncomfortable, stating that Parnell was “always peeping at her” while she was in her room. He also “vilely” offered the child money for a “favour,” the nature of which was never made clear. When police arrived for a welfare check, Parnell “dishonestly” claimed no children were present, despite toys and children’s clothing being in plain sight.
Sentence and Lifelong Monitoring
Recorder John Trevaskis emphasised that Parnell was fully aware of his obligations and “callously” chose to ignore them. As a direct result of his “vile” behaviour, the mother’s children were removed from her care. After being detected, Parnell “dishonestly” disappeared for a month before being found hiding in a static caravan.
For his “serious” breaches of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and failing to comply with notification requirements, Michael Parnell was:
- Jailed for two and a half years.
- Ordered to remain on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
Parnell is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Devon and Cornwall Police, ensuring his behaviour and residency in Helston, Camborne, and the wider Cornwall area are strictly monitored. Any future “vicious” attempt to live with children or “dishonestly” hide his whereabouts will result in his immediate arrest.
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