'We were sexually abused by our driving instructor'

Two women who were sexually assaulted by their driving instructor have called for tighter regulation of the profession.

Phoebe Horrocks and Morgane Chapman were abused by Michael Florek, who was found guilty of sexually assaulting five of his pupils between 2016 and 2021. He later took his own life.

Wiltshire charity Fear Free, which campaigns against sexual violence, has said children should "be given the same protection in a car as they would in a classroom" as it launched its Emergency Stop petition calling for change.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) said sexually inappropriate behaviour by instructors was "unacceptable" and added that it kept its approach "under review".

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Phoebe and Morgane did not know each other when they started driving lessons with the same instructor in Gloucestershire.

"Upon meeting him at first, he seemed polite," said Phoebe, who was 18 at the time. "He seemed like a normal guy in his 60s.

"And then very quickly he started touching me. He touched me on the leg.

"He assaulted me multiple times during that first lesson.

"He told me inappropriate stories about sleeping with underage girls. And then he began touching me."

Morgane was 17 years old when she had similar experiences with the instructor.

She said: "It was questions about my body, what underwear I was wearing, did I have any piercings in my private areas.

"He touched my breast, he touched my inner thigh tightly. I just completely froze. I didn't know what to do."

Phoebe and Morgane reported their abuser to the police more than five years later and both gave evidence against him in court.

He was given a suspended prison sentence and banned from the profession for 10 years.

Both women have waived their right to anonymity to campaign for tighter regulation.

"We would really like driving instructors to be included as those in positions of trust within the Sex Offences Act," Phoebe said.

"Much like teachers, sports coaches, religious figures, people that have a really active involvement in young people's development and lives."

If driving instructors were deemed to be in a position of trust, it would make any sexual activity with a 16 or 17-year-old pupil illegal, even if consensual.

While Phoebe and Morgane's instructor was convicted of sexual assault, they believe this law change could still help others.

The Driving Instructors' Association (DIA), which has 10,000 members, said it would "not be opposed" to instructors being considered as in a position of trust but said instructors could already be removed from the register over inappropriate relationships.

"In reality, the DVSA already treats sexual relationships between instructors and students under 18 as exploitation, even if consensual," a DIA spokesperson added.

Phoebe and Morgane also want a national independent complaints system, stronger mandatory safeguarding requirements for driving instructors and more awareness.

The DIA said it had been lobbying for mandatory safeguarding training to be incorporated into the Approved Driving Instructor licensing process "for some years".

The UK government requires driving instructors to have a criminal record check, or Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which will flag up past convictions.

In 2017, Conservative MP Richard Graham called for instructors to be considered as in a position of trust and then Prime Minister Theresa May said she would look into the issue.

The government changed the law in 2022 to include faith group leaders and sports coaches, but not driving instructors.

FearFree has launched its Emergency Stop petition as part of a campaign to change the law.

Its CEO Debbie Beadle said: "Learning to drive is an exciting and pivotal moment in a child's life, but for some it has become an experience marked by fear instead of freedom.

"The law must recognise the unique vulnerability of young learners."

The campaign is backed by some driving instructors including Greg Widger of the Learner Driving Centre in Wiltshire.

He said: "We absolutely should be in a position of trust because people already think we are. People look at us and trust us. Making it a legal framework is a better way of doing things.

"Sadly I've heard stories of people who've had friends who've been abused by driving instructors... It's just wrong."

When the position of trust laws were updated in 2022, the government said it had balanced the protection of young people with the need to ensure it does not infringe upon the sexual rights of people aged 16 and over while choosing which professions were included.

It added it was "very aware of the risk of inadvertently criminalising ordinary relationships".

The DVSA said the safety of learner drivers was its priority and complaints were taken extremely seriously.

"Approved driving instructors must be suitably qualified and pass pre-registration checks," it added. "Once registered, they must undergo checks and are expected to follow a strict code of practice."

Phoebe and Morgane said their campaigning had helped them deal with the shock and trauma of their abuse.

"We have changed the tables," Phoebe said. "We've taken ownership of what happened to us. And we've got rid of the shame that came with it. We've owned our story."

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