October 2001 paedophile says knife was for own protection A BOURNEMOUTH paedophile who claimed he was carrying a bladed lock knife to protect himself from attack has been sentenced to a community rehabilitation order at Bournemouth Crown Court. Gerald Leslie Mills, 71, was arrested and charged with possessing an offensive weapon after police found him with a knife as he sat on a bench in Weymouth. West Dorset officers had earlier spotted him with a toy gun in his bag and he admitted to having the 6.5 centimetre knife. Mills of Wallisdown Road, who has been listed as a registered sex offender and pictured in the Daily Echo and the News of the World, told the officers: “The knife is for my own protection as I am a paedophile.” Mills, who pleaded guilty to the offence in April this year, was appearing back before Judge John Beashel after a six month adjournment during which he has been on a probation order put in place before the knife charge. This probation order was for breaching the requirements of a previous sex offender order. Judge Beashel told him that it was in the public interest for him to be dealt with in the community and the authorities had monitored him during the adjournment period, during which he had acted within the law. At the earlier hearing, held at Dorchester Crown Court, Mills claimed he genuinely feared for his personal safety and had been worried about a person wearing motorcycle clothing who he thought had been following him.