DEREK GODFREY DOLGELLAU DRIVING INSTRUCTOR SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES AGAINST FEMALE PUPILS

In September 2014, a disturbing case emerged involving Derek Godfrey, a driving instructor based in Dolgellau, North Wales, who was convicted of multiple sexual misconducts against young women under his tutelage. The case highlighted a series of inappropriate behaviors and lewd comments that deeply betrayed the trust placed in him as an instructor.

Godfrey, aged 49 at the time, was found guilty of two separate sexual assault incidents that occurred in 2011 and 2012. One of these involved him rubbing the leg of a 17-year-old female pupil while she was driving, an act that was both inappropriate and alarming. The other incident was linked to a puncture the girl experienced during a lesson, during which Godfrey suggested a highly inappropriate way for her to 'reimburse' him, implying she should 'drop her knickers and bend over the bonnet.'

Further allegations revealed that Godfrey, who operated Derek's Driving Tuition, had a pattern of inappropriate conduct. During a lesson, he slapped a female learner on the bottom as she was inspecting the engine, an act that added to the list of misconduct. The judge described him as 'old enough to be their father,' emphasizing the betrayal of the professional trust expected from someone in his position. The court heard that Godfrey had also made lewd remarks about young girls, expressing a desire to be their age because of the presence of 'so many pretty young girls around.'

In addition to his inappropriate comments and physical gestures, Godfrey sent a series of sexually explicit text messages to a 23-year-old woman he was also teaching. These messages included remarks such as 'God, You have got a nice a***' and 'can I f*** you please?' He further urged her to send him 'sexy, naughty pictures' and promised her 'the time of her life' in bed. The woman, feeling harassed, eventually complained, and her mother also wrote a formal letter of complaint to the Driving Standards Agency.

As a consequence of his convictions, Godfrey was sentenced to 16 months in prison. The court also imposed a five-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), which restricts him from providing driving lessons to female students unless they are accompanied by another person. This measure aims to prevent further abuse of his position and to protect other potential victims.

Judge Philip Hughes addressed the court, stating, 'The two women were entitled to feel safe and secure in the company of their driving instructor. But you exploited your position to abuse them.' He condemned Godfrey for betraying the reputation of his profession and emphasized the importance of deterrence, noting that the consequences for such misconduct are severe. The judge also pointed out that Godfrey, as a married father of two, had betrayed the trust of the community and the standards expected of someone in his role.