Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)A PAIR of sex offenders wanted in the UK have been traced following an Olive Press appeal.
Duo Peter Wheatherley and Anthony John Keith – both feared to be dangerous – will now be looking over their shoulders after readers came forward with information.
Yorkshire man Wheatherley – wanted for failing to sign onto the sex offenders register – is based in Fuengirola, according to two sources.
The 42-year-old works for his own building company called O’Neills and reportedly drives a four-by-four jeep with a British number plate ending in ‘HUV’.
Incredibly, the Olive Press discovered that Wheatherley – who has a young son with wife Carol – was discovered and investigated last year by the British police.
Sheffield police confirmed that Wheatherley – who uses pseudonyms Peter Jackson, Peter Kennelly and Peter Hudson – was tracked down to his home in Fuengirola.
But a decision was made “not to extradite”, a spokesman confirmed. PC Sarah Nettleship, from the Public Protection Unit, explained: “We are aware that he is still in Fuengirola.
“He has been told that should he enter the UK he will be arrested immediately.”
And a former friend of Wheatherley told the Olive Press, how she was threatened after he learnt that she had reported him to the police.
The old friend, also from Fuengirola, revealed: “On seeing the Crimestoppers’ Most Wanted appeal we immediately reported him.
“However, we were grassed up when somebody overheard a phone call I made.
“Peter squared up to me and told me to ‘watch my back’.”
According to the source, who insisted on remaining anonymous, the couple have been based in Fuengirola for 12 years and have often failed to pay rent.
“They rent properties in his wife’s name but often don’t pay anything,” she claimed.
“They have never stayed for more than six months in one house. For example, in one year alone, they moved four times.”
She continued: “He has fallen out with a lot of people we know. He is a very volatile character.”
A spokesperson for Fuengirola National police said: “I can’t speak about this subject, it is a confidential matter.”
A South Yorkshire Police spokesperson added: “Wheatherley has served his time for an original offence, but is currently wanted for a breach of notification requirements.
“This offence carries a maximum sentence of six months.”
But she said that after discussions with the Crown Prosecution Service, Interpol, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre and Spanish authorities, it was decided not to extradite Wheatherley.
Meanwhile, the Olive Press has also learnt that another wanted offender, Anthony Keith, may have recently fled from La Cala de Mijas to Ireland.
In 2002, the Irishman was convicted at Wakefield Magistrates court of taking and possessing indecent photographs of children.
He failed to attend court for sentence in November 2002 and arrived on the Costa del Sol in early 2003.
Maureen Roddy, 66, from Alhaurin el Grande, unaware of his criminal history, let Keith and his then girlfriend Angie live with her for three years.
Roddy, who fosters abused children, explained that Keith was known as ‘Tony Keogh’ and he worked in the Black Horse pub, in Alhaurin, alongside Angie for 18 months.
“I became very close to Angie, but unfortunately, that meant I had to put up with Tony.
“I did not like him, he was a drunk, temperamental and lazy.”
Another former friend, Gina Dawson, 62, revealed that Keith is the godfather to her granddaughter.
Chillingly, Dawson, from Manchester, also told that her grandson would often visit Keith’s home alone and come back with his hair spiked up with gel.
“My boy loved Tony. I trusted him, I have since asked if he ever took photos of him but he said ‘no’,” explained the mother-of-two.
However, just 18 months later, Keith suddenly left Alhaurin and moved to La Cala where he briefly worked in timeshare.
But Roddy explained that he recently fled to his native Ireland, where his brother still lives.
“He left a note in his flat saying he couldn’t cope anymore in Spain and had gone back to Dublin.
“I know his brother has a family with children there.”
what is the point of putting these people on crimewatch and in newspapers if nothing is going to be done about it , these men are walking the streets working nr children i think the police are wasting money on these adverts when the know thery can not arrest them, all this money can be used on something that needs it ,, but these men need locking up
This guy (Wheatherley) drops his own son off at school in La Cala every morning. Olive press have a duty to report why this guy was convicted as there are a lot of nervous parents.
To editor- why have you not followed up this story with any new information ie how big a threat is this guy? We have a right to know especially us parents who see him every morning.
Thank you
It is documented that Wheatherley sexually assaulted a school girl and served a 3 year sentence. His failure to report after being released carries a further 6 month sentence. Please can someone explain what the legal loophole is which is stopping him from being extradited?
This man, a convicted sex offender, is allowed to sit outside the school every morning and afternoon, surely there must be something that the authorities can do to prevent him being allowed to be so close to our children!
If they cant, then we must assume he has the same rights as every other parent and will be allowed to enter the school on open days such as the end of year fiesta. The thought of this makes my blood run cold!