Instructor jailed after he hid carrot down trousers

8:38am Saturday 8th December 2007

A DRIVING instructor who indecently assaulted at least three of his pupils was last night behind bars as police investigated further allegations of misconduct.

The Northern Echo can reveal that detectives have been contacted by more learner drivers since newspaper reports of Stephen Cooney's antics were published last month.

The women claim that they were also groped and abused by the bespectacled 51-year-old pervert when he taught them to drive on Teesside during the past decade.

Cooney, from east Cleveland, was jailed for 18 months yesterday after being found guilty of two indecent assaults and two sexual assaults at the end of a trial last month.

Three of his pupils - a teenage student, a single mother in her 20s and a middle-aged woman - all gave evidence against him during the three-day trial.

The student was groped at the end of a lesson in September 2002, while Cooney repeatedly touched the lone parent during lessons over a six-month period.

The single mother was also shown naked photographs of her tutor and was told she could write off her bill for lessons if she had sex with Cooney in a lay-by.

A third pupil fled his car in tears after Cooney forced her hand onto his groin to show her a pretend erection that was really a 12in carrot in his trousers.

Teesside Crown Court was told that the instructor targeted vulnerable females who were either young or going through relationship troubles.

Judge George Moorhouse told married Cooney: "While in your privileged and trusted position, you chose to abuse it.

"This was repeated offending and there was a sense of grooming - you learned about their problems and started telling them dirty jokes.

"Then, when you thought the time was appropriate, you committed your offences. The offences themselves - in isolation, and according to the sentencing guidelines - do not qualify for a custodial sentence.

"But I am satisfied, having heard the evidence during the trial and reading about you, that this is a case which fully justifies prison."

Christine Egerton, mitigating, said Cooney, of Ronaldshay Terrace, Marske, denies committing the offences but accepts he behaved inappropriately.

Cooney has had to give up his job since being convicted and will now be on the sex offenders' register for ten years after being released from jail.

A Sexual Offences Prevention Order was also imposed. It bans him from giving driving lessons to women for the rest of his life.

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