TORQUAY COACH DRIVER SENTENCED FOR 2003 TEEN ASSAULT
A coach driver accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl during a trip to Austria more than two decades ago has been convicted and imprisoned for his actions.Stephen Capper, aged 68, from Manor Road, Torquay, was found guilty of indecent assault in a court trial held in November 2022.
On Tuesday, he received a sentence of four years and three months in prison.
In addition to his incarceration, he was given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order at Gloucester Crown Court.At the time of the assault, Capper was employed by Wallace Arnold Coaches, accompanying a group of holidaymakers including the teenage victim.
The girl recounted that Capper approached her one evening in a hotel and repeatedly asked for her room number.
Subsequently, he appeared at her room and assaulted her.
Before leaving, Capper warned her, saying, "nobody can know about this because you will get into trouble."The court heard that the teenager still vividly remembers her feelings at the time, describing herself as feeling disgusting, shocked, embarrassed, and scared.
She also explained that she was warned that if anyone found out about the incident, she would be the one to get into trouble, which kept her silent for many years.
Despite her efforts to suppress her feelings and carry on, she said the incident has impacted her life profoundly.
Gloucestershire Police commended her for her bravery and resilience, with Detective Constable Elle Macleod expressing hope that she can now begin to rebuild her life after finally receiving some closure.
