MICHAEL YAXLEY RE-OFFENDS IN MARGATE NEAR SCHOOL AFTER BEING RE-HOUSED

In August 2013, a disturbing incident unfolded in Margate involving Michael Yaxley, a convicted sex offender with a long history of crimes against children. Despite his criminal background, Yaxley was re-housed in a property directly opposite a local school, raising serious concerns about public safety and the effectiveness of offender management protocols.

Authorities from the Ministry of Justice, tasked with safeguarding the public from known offenders, conducted an inspection of the residence and found no objections to his placement. This decision was made despite Yaxley's extensive criminal record, which includes convictions for indecent assault on a girl, gross indecency, and attempting to coerce a child into watching a sex act.

Within just a few weeks of moving into the flat on St John’s Road, Margate, Yaxley was observed by three young girls performing a sex act from his window. The girls, all aged around 11, reported seeing him masturbating in the bay window of his flat. The children promptly informed their school officials, who then contacted the police. Yaxley was swiftly arrested following these reports.

The incident prompted a judge to order an investigation into whether Yaxley had deliberately targeted the school or if his placement was a matter of oversight. During proceedings at Canterbury Crown Court, it was revealed that the property had been allocated to Yaxley by a charity responsible for re-housing released prisoners. The charity’s choice of residence was scrutinized, especially given the involvement of MAPPA—Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements—a framework designed to manage and reduce the risks posed by sexual and violent offenders.

Judge Heather Norton expressed her shock upon learning that MAPPA officials had deemed the property suitable for someone with Yaxley's criminal history. The court was informed that MAPPA, which operates under statutory arrangements involving criminal justice and social care agencies, had approved the placement despite Yaxley's convictions. The judge emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting that Yaxley’s background should have precluded such a housing decision.

Yaxley, of Lausanne Terrace, Margate, was subsequently sentenced to 20 months in prison after admitting to the sex offence. He is also now on the Sex Offender Register for life. The court heard that his flat was located very close to the school gates, which heightened concerns about the safety of the children in the area.

Further details revealed that in April of the same year, three 11-year-old girls saw Yaxley standing naked in his bay window, engaging in masturbation. The children reported the incident to school officials, who then alerted police. Yaxley’s criminal history includes a previous four-year sentence in 2003 for indecent assault and gross indecency, as well as a 12-month suspended sentence in 2011 for causing a child to watch a sex act. In January of the following year, he was jailed for a year for breaching a court order.

During the court proceedings, Yaxley's defense attorney, Simon Taylor, acknowledged that his client struggles with alcohol, drugs, and deviant behavior. He argued that Yaxley appeared to have intentionally sought accommodation away from school premises, aware of the risks and court restrictions. However, the prosecution highlighted that MAPPA officials had visited Yaxley and approved his residence, which was situated directly opposite a school playground—a decision that was heavily criticized by the judge.

Judge Heather Norton concluded her remarks by expressing her dismay at the decision to house Yaxley in such proximity to children, especially given his history of offenses against minors. She stated, “Despite your history of sexual offending, you were allowed to move into a flat on your release from prison— a place overlooking the playground of a Margate school. Although I accept it was not one which you chose, this was a very unfortunate situation, to say the very least.”