STUART HERCLIFFE FROM ALVASTON SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS ON TEENAGE PUPILS IN DERBY

In June 2020, a disturbing case emerged involving Stuart Hercliffe, a driving instructor based in Alvaston, Derby, who was found guilty of sexually assaulting multiple teenage pupils during driving lessons. The revelations came after three courageous young women came forward to share their experiences, inspired by reports of similar misconduct involving Hercliffe. In total, five female victims provided statements to the police, detailing how the now 68-year-old instructor had molested them while they were learning to drive under his tutelage at the Airedale School of Motoring, which was located in Alvaston.

During a hearing at Derby Crown Court, it was disclosed that Hercliffe’s inappropriate behavior included touching the thighs of his pupils and, in at least one instance, moving his hand dangerously close to a victim’s groin area. The court was also told about the nature of his lewd comments and propositions, which spanned over a period of nine years, from 2008 to 2017. Prosecutor Kevin Jones outlined that Hercliffe’s misconduct was not isolated but part of a disturbing pattern of abuse directed at the young girls he was supposed to be teaching to drive.

One of the victims recounted how Hercliffe asked her, “Are we going back to your place, we could have some fun?” He also made inappropriate remarks about his personal life, telling her he would need to cover his lap with his diary because he had taken Viagra the night before, and inquired whether she had achieved multiple orgasms. Her conduct was characterized by the court as a gross abuse of trust, especially considering her vulnerable position as a learner driver.

Another girl was subjected to a question about her boyfriend’s sexual prowess, with Hercliffe asking, “Does your boyfriend give good sex?” A third victim was asked if she enjoyed performing oral sex, while a fourth was questioned about her use of sex toys. The final girl was asked if she needed someone to look after her when her parents went away, further illustrating the inappropriate and predatory nature of his behavior.

Hercliffe, who previously resided at Airedale Walk in Alvaston and is now living in Charnwood Close, Swanwick, pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent assault. The court sentenced him to a 20-month prison term, suspended for two years. Judge Nirmal Shant QC emphasized the severity of his misconduct, stating, “You embarked in a course of conduct over a number of years of offending against young girls. You made the most appalling inappropriate sexual comments towards them. You were trusted to teach them how to drive and you abused that trust.”

In addition to the suspended sentence, Hercliffe was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years and was subjected to a five-year sexual harm prevention order. The judge also mandated that he complete 30 days of rehabilitation, highlighting her concern that Hercliffe had convinced himself that his inappropriate comments constituted harmless banter. She concluded by stressing the importance of re-educating him about the inappropriateness of his attitude towards young girls, underscoring the seriousness of his actions and the need for ongoing monitoring and intervention.