Suspended sentence for sex assault driving instructor

A driving instructor who groped four women learners has been given a 12-month suspended jail sentence.

Barry Morgan, 58, warned the learners, one of whom was 17, that he would "squeeze them" if they made mistakes and then grabbed their breasts.

At Plymouth Crown Court, former soldier Morgan, 58, of Heybrook Bay, Plymouth, admitted six sexual assaults.

He was also ordered to do 240 hours unpaid community work and sign the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

The court heard that Morgan, who worked for the British School of Motoring, was arrested after one of the women went to the police.

'Too scared'

Jonathan Barnes, prosecuting, said: "The 17-year-old learner said Morgan constantly asked her to take her jumper off and turned up the heater. If she opened the window he would tell her to take her top off instead.

"He made sexual comments asking how many partners she'd had and on many occasions tried sticking his hand up her top and inside her bra, touching her left breast."

Some victims were forced to carry on having lessons with him because they had paid for a whole course in advance.

One woman was so frightened she cancelled her next lesson but was too scared to tell her parents why.

Judge Francis Gilbert, QC, told him: "The traumatic and distressing effect is apparent from the victims' statements and in the case of the young girl it is continuing to cause her difficulties."

Morgan lost his job with the British School of Motoring (BSM) and has been unemployed ever since.

BSM said he had been suspended and the Driving Standards Agency notified immediately a complaint was received.