Former Leeds student received unwanted sexual advances from two driving instructors

A Leeds Arts University alumni received inappropriate text messages from two separate driving instructors who made unsolicited romantic advances towards her.

Alice* told The Tab Leeds how one instructor asked for advice on how to use dating apps and touched her leg during a lesson without her consent. Another of her instructors other explicitly told her “I’ve got feelings for you” in a text message.

The 25-year-old explained how both experiences left her feeling “disgusted” and that she has been forced to find a female driving instructor.

Alice began driving lessons in 2022 with William*, a self employed driving instructor and explained that her lessons were initially quite pleasant . She said: “I had a number of two hour lessons with William in 2022, during which we would chat about things going on in our lives which at the time, felt like the building of a strong working relationship.”

However, as she had more lessons, Alice found that William took an increasing interest in her personal life, asking questions about her dating life while teaching her to drive.

She said: “I received a text message from him asking my if he could ‘ask me a question’. I was confused about why he would be contacting me at this time as it was outside of working hours.”

She described how William told her about his marriage and asked for Alice’s advice on dating: “He then proceeded to tell me that he had been having marriage problems since his father had passed and that he was ‘looking for a date with someone new even if it’s only temporary to help me feel better’ and asked my opinion on whether I thought he had a chance of getting a date.”

A text message sent to Alice on 6th November 2022 from William, an independent driving instructor

The full text read: “I’m having marriage problems since the death of my father. Looking for a date with someone new even if it’s temporary to help me feel better. Would you recommend any dating apps? Do I even have a chance for a date do you think? I’m just going through a really hard time at the moment.”

Alice told The Tab Leeds that she explained to William how she wasn’t comfortable giving dating advice to him, especially with him having a young child which she said made things “feel even worse”.

“I was very diplomatic in my response, expressing that I wasn’t comfortable advising on the dating side of things when there was a marriage involved. And I was also aware that he had a young child which made it feel even worse.”

Despite the suggestive text message, Alice made the decision to “brush this under the rug” and  continue having lessons with him as she wanted to get her driving test out of the way.

Alice described how during her next lesson with William, he touched her without her consent: “He told me that I was too high on the clutch, and put his hand on my thigh to push my leg down. This was the last time I ever saw William.”

After this experience, Alice started lessons with Morgan*, a new instructor from a local driving school. Alice explained that she initially got on well with Morgan and that he was a “suitable” instructor.

“He was always really accommodating and flexible with timings and we were able to have a really good laugh and nothing felt uncomfortable at all.”

Alice said that Morgan decided to stop teaching lessons due to “family reasons” and explained that he would no longer be able to teach her.

She began to search for a replacement driving instructor who she felt would be capable of teaching to the same high standard but after having no luck in finding a replacement teacher, she reached out to Morgan.

Alice then texted Morgan on March 3rd, asking if he planned to resume teaching lessons soon, or if he knew any other driving instructors he could recommend.

After explaining that he would not be returning to teaching, Alice explained that Morgan text her asking if he could ask her a question.

“He responded to say that he’s not returning and regretted that he was unable to help me. Before I could respond, he sent a second message in which he said ‘Can I say something to you? I know it will make you angry but I have to say. I have got feelings for you’.”

The text message sent to Alice from Morgan, an instructor at a driving school

Alice explained that Morgan continued to confess his feelings for her, explaining his actions to be because he is human and “humans always try”.

“Baffled by this, I expressed confusion as to how this had happened and he then told me that ‘It’s quite simple, you’re the most amazing person I’ve ever known’.

“He then mentioned that he knows I have a partner and have no interest in ruining my personal life, but that he’s a human and ‘humans always try’.” Morgan also wrote in the text to Alice “You look charming to me, as always”.

When Alice asked Morgan how long he had felt this way, he revealed he had experienced romantic feelings towards her since her second lesson with him: “I asked him how long these feelings had been going on for, and he said since our second lesson together. I was absolutely disgusted by this, and expressed to him that I felt disrespected myself and on behalf of my partner. I disengaged from the conversation at this point as there was nothing more to be said.”

Alice explained to Morgan that she had received untoward advances from driving instructors previously and told him that his actions felt like a “betrayal of trust”. She added how he had made her feel that as a woman, she “can’t get into a car without an instructor undressing me with their eyes”, outlining to him that “this is not a feeling any woman wants to have”.

Alice told The Tab Leeds that she plans to contact the driving school and make them aware of what she said is “quite clearly” a case of professional misconduct. She outlined how she also intends to file a complaint against both instructors via gov.uk.

Speaking about how frequently experiences like hers occur, Alice encouraged other young learner drivers to research their instructor or read recommendations.

“Stories like this are unfortunately not uncommon, so I urge young learner drivers to make sure that they do research or go off credible recommendations before committing to lessons.”

This comes after a University of York student was stalked by her driving instructor in 2022, which resulted in the 52-year-old receiving a two month suspended sentence, an electronically monitored tag for 12 months and an indefinite restraining order.

*Names have been changed for anonymity

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