GARRY DOVER YORK SEX OFFENDER BANNED FROM CHILDREN AFTER MULTIPLE CONVICTIONS
In November 2019, a disturbing case unfolded in York involving Garry Dover Afflick, a man with a long and troubling history of sexual offenses.Afflick, aged 53, exploited his position within a church community to establish a false sense of trust with a local family, ultimately leading to serious breaches of court orders and endangering a young child.
According to court proceedings, Afflick had previously served time in prison for child abuse and was under a lifelong court order that strictly prohibited him from being in the company of children unless explicitly permitted by social services and only with the knowledge and consent of the child's parents or guardians.
Despite these restrictions, Afflick managed to conceal his sexual offending from the child's family, gaining their trust under false pretenses.
The prosecution, led by Jessica Heggie, detailed how Afflick befriended the family and was even invited to attend a church event with them, which included other children.
During this event, which lasted approximately three hours, the child's mother temporarily left Afflick in charge of her young son.
It was revealed that Afflick had a pattern of visiting the child's home regularly, and the child had visited his residence on multiple occasions.
Evidence was presented showing Afflick hugging the child, and it was clear that he had been filming the young boy in an inappropriate manner.
Miss Heggie emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “Had the relationship been allowed to continue, the risk posed was very serious.” She further noted that North Yorkshire Police assessed Afflick as a “very high risk registered sex offender,” underscoring the danger he represented.
The child's family expressed feelings of betrayal, feeling deceived by Afflick’s manipulative behavior.
Afflick, who was formerly residing on Navigation Road in York and is now without a fixed address, pleaded guilty to two charges of breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
Judge Simon Hickey described Afflick’s actions as “deliberate targeting,” highlighting the calculated nature of his misconduct.
The court heard that the child's family had shown him sympathy, partly because Afflick claimed to have been imprisoned for violent and drug-related offenses, which they believed explained his circumstances.
During the sentencing hearing, Afflick interrupted the judge, swore at him, and had to be removed to the court cells.
After a three-hour delay, he returned to the dock and was sentenced to a term of three years and four months in prison.
Defense lawyer Andrew Petterson expressed that Afflick was remorseful for his outburst, attributing his behavior to not receiving his medication and lacking access to necessary rehabilitative support while incarcerated.
Afflick also cited a history of brain injury as a factor affecting his conduct.
Prior to this incident, Afflick’s criminal record was extensive.
In September 2017, he was sentenced to an additional 19 months in prison after police discovered indecent images on his phones.
The police raid in April of that year resulted in the seizure of two phones, which contained videos classified as “category A” indecent material, including images of children.
Afflick pleaded guilty to seven charges related to these images.
Prosecutor Clare Walsh highlighted his long-standing criminal history, which includes 161 convictions dating back to 1979, with offenses such as indecent assaults on boys under 16 and violations of court orders.
Judge Stubbs acknowledged Afflick’s criminal background but stated he could not conclude that he posed a “dangerous” threat to the public at that time.
Consequently, he sentenced Afflick to 19 months for one of the charges, with no separate penalty for the remaining six charges.
Further back in his criminal history, in February 2013, Afflick was subjected to an indefinite sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) after being released from prison.
This order prohibited him from associating with anyone under 18.
The court’s decision followed his release from a 12-month sentence for breaching a previous order.
His history includes multiple convictions for blackmail, supplying drugs, indecent assault, and other serious offenses, with a notable arrest in September 2013 after he was found in the company of young males and had given police a false name.
Throughout his criminal career, Afflick has been described as devious and manipulative, with police and court officials expressing concern over his grooming behaviors and repeated violations of court orders.
His past convictions include a 1997 indecent assault on a boy under 16, and a 2001 five-year sentence for indecent assaults and serious sexual offenses against young boys.
His history also involves a 2007 manhunt after he went missing following his release from prison, where he was serving time for blackmail and drug offenses.
When apprehended, he received a 30-month sentence at Leeds Crown Court.
Most recently, in February 2013, he was again subjected to a SOPO, which barred him from being alone with boys under 16 and from residing in houses with males over 16 unless they were aware of his criminal background.
A full hearing was scheduled for February 11, 2024, to review his case further, reflecting ongoing concerns about his potential risk to children and the community.
