As children we were often under threat from non existent nasty’s like the boogeyman, “…if you don’t go to bed the bogeyman will get you”.
As we got older these frightening figures melted away. But what if you found out the boogeyman was real?

The name Akinwale Arobieke will mean very little to a lot of people. However try using his better known name of Purple Aki, in North England and it won’t be long before you’re bombarded with tales of this “boogeyman urban legend”.

But Purple Aki is no urban legend, donning his name for apparently being “so black he is purple”, Purple Aki’s legend had struck fear in the hearts of many people up North. This man, who at a burley 6″5, would approach young men asking to measure their biceps or perform squats amongst other things, was eventually arrested and jailed for six years in 2003 for 16 counts of harassment.

 For years it was unknown whether Purple Aki was even real but his conviction cemented his existence.
 Last year, after his release, a Sexual Offenses Prevention Order was imposed. This means he cannot touch, feel or measure muscles or ask people to do squat exercises in public. However, only two months later he broke the ban when he approached a 17 year old boy. He asked the boy how many bench presses he could do.

The boy told the court: “He pointed to my arms and asked if he could see.

“He then lifted his hand towards my biceps and I realised who it was. I backed away and told him I had to go.

“I felt sick and walked away as fast as I could. I went to a friend’s house and looked back but he had gone.”

Bodybuilder Arobieke was found guilty and was sentenced to 18months in prison.

This man has received more than 400,000 hits on you tube after various spoof cartoons and video clips were made.

So next time someone tells you the boogeyman isn’t real, tell them Purple Aki is.

a Purple Aki spoof on youtube…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzVcTYoQET8