Man who stabbed Preston probation officer was convicted paedophile who changed his name after sordid past
A Preston man jailed for stabbing a probation officer was a convicted paedophile who changed his name after a city judge gave him a second - and third - chance.
Ryan Gee, 35, was jailed for life on Monday for attacking a Preston probation officer with a large kitchen knife and threatening a receptionist with a replica handgun.
The attack took place on the afternoon of July 22 last year when Gee visited the Preston probation offices for an appointment related to a previous sentence for child sex offences.
Judge Richard Gioserano had spared him a prison sentence in 2023 after Gee’s defending barrister Brendan O'Leary pleaded for leniency, saying mental health issues could have been responsible for his behaviour.
At that time, Gee was known by his real name Daniel Godkin. He had sent obscene photos to what he believed to be a 12-year-old girl, and involved him performing a sex act.
But his young victim was actually a police officer posing as a child. Godkin pleaded guilty, but Judge Richard Gioserano spared him and handed him a suspended 21-month sentence.
Judge Gioserano told Godkin: "You believed this to be a 12-year-old girl and you were engaging in sexual communication with her. You clearly have a sexual interest in young children and you need to face it.”
Instead of being put behind bars, the judge ordered Godkin to undertake unpaid work and attend a rehabilitation programme for sexual offenders.
Godkin then changed his name to Ryan Gee and two years later, at a probation appointment, pulled out a large kitchen knife and repeatedly stabbed a probation officer and terrorised other staff with a replica handgun.
The woman, aged in her 30s, was stabbed three times but managed to flee the room. Gee then locked himself in the reception area where he held the replica handgun to the receptionist’s head.
Police were called and Gee was heard to say ‘You’re going to have to shoot me’ before he was tasered, detained and arrested.
Gee/Godkin leaps into River Ribble to flee police
You might remember when Gee/Godkin leapt full-clothed into the icy waters of the River Ribble in a frantic bid to get away from police in January 2023.
The fleeing sex offender jumped into the freezing river before dawn, sparking a huge eight-hour search and rescue operation involving a fire brigade boat crew, police dogs and a police helicopter.
He dived into the water near Ashbridge Nursery in London Road after breaking free from officers and was eventually found after swimming to the opposite bank and hiding in a wheelie bin. He was taken to hospital suffering from suspected hypothermia.
Arrested for exposing himself in park
Just four days after being spared prison by Preston judge Richard Gioserano in April 2023, Gee/Godkin twice exposed himself to two women in the city’s Avenham Park.
His defence lawyer Matthew Todd told Preston Crown Court that the two incidents were "not sexually motivated." He said his client was then homeless and “couldn't cope” with being outside on the streets as a registered sex offender.
“He thought the only way to get back into custody was to commit a sexual offence and that's what he did,” claimed the lawyer.
When he was picked up by police Gee/Godkin was just four days into a 21-month suspended sentence handed down by Judge Gioserano for the child sex offences, and for escaping from lawful arrest when he jumped into the River Ribble.
Spared jail again
But he was again spared prison and was given another chance to prove he could be rehabilitated. He was ordered to do another 40 hours of unpaid work on top of the 180 hours he was given back in April 2023.