A besotted driving instructor has appeared in court after he sent one of his star students flowers on Valentine’s Day and offered her free lessons when she asked him for a ”refresher” course.
Glynn Chorlton, 63, pestered his victim with cards and text messages, and even turned up at her home and workplace unannounced. The married driving instructor said he wanted to take their friendship to the ”next level” after she asked him for more driving lessons following a split with her husband.
Chorlton’s victim had already passed her driving test following two years of lessons with the instructor. She urged her instructor not to contact her and cancelled lessons, yet he persisted with his attempts, saying: ”You do not have to text back straight away. Just have a think.’’
The woman is said to have been caused distress by Chorlton’s unwanted messages and visits which spanned a 10 month period. When quizzed, the driving instructor said he ”misread her personality.”
At Crewe Magistrates’ Court in Cheshire, Chorlton of Andrew Lane, High Lane, Stockport, admitted harassment between March 2023 and January 2024 and was banned from contacting the woman for four years under the terms of a restraining order.
Mr Chorlton’s defence said there was no suggestion he made threats of any kind towards his victim. His wife is thought to be standing by him but he now faces being stripped of his licence to continue giving driving lessons following a 38 year career.
‘She was desperate to get out of the car’
Prosecutor Miss Olivia Randell told the hearing: ”The victim in this matter states that she was having lessons from from 2017 to 2019. The two of them got on well and she felt that they were just friends.
“She passed in 2019 and sent him a card and a box of chocolates to say thank you for helping her to pass her driving test.” Adding: “She believed that giving the gift was a perfectly natural thing to do.”
She continued: “They did not have much contact again until 2022 when she wanted some refresher lessons. She had been driven everywhere by her ex-husband. As she was going through a divorce she felt she needed to be driving herself but did not have much confidence.
“She went back to the defendant to get refresher lessons to increase her confidence and she felt they were getting on as friends again. They had one lesson together and he started to message her to say that he could give her further lessons free of charge.
”She accepted some further lessons but stated that she would be paying for them. She did not think it was right to take away his livelihood. She felt they were just friends.
Besotted driving instructor Glyn Chorlton has been issued with a restraining order
(Image: Cavendish Press (Manchester) LTD)
“On February 14 she returned home to a bunch of flowers and a Valentine’s card at her address. She did not know who they came from. Two days after he messaged her again about a driving lesson. On the next occasion, on that driving lesson he admitted that it was him who sent the flowers and the card.
“She was shocked. She did not think they were anything more than friends. She felt uneasy and did not know what to say. She said she was desperate to get out of the car and into the safety of her home.”
Miss Randall went on to say the woman had trusted Chorlton and was made to feel “extremely uncomfortable” by his actions. She started cancelling lessons saying she was ill, and kept her replies to his messages “short but polite” as she did not want any further contact.
The prosecutor continued: “On March 4, she was at work and she saw him outside of the bakery where she worked. She asked him about it and he said he was just taking the dog on a long walk. She questioned whether that was actually the case.
”She remembered during the lessons he would offer to go out walking with her. They would talk about his wife and about how his wife believed that they were going to have an affair. That also made her feel uncomfortable.
“On March 15, he told her he had been trying to take the friendship to the next level. He admitted being pushy and said ‘You do not have to text back straight away. Just have a think.’ She then sends him a message saying: ‘My friends have suggested that I contact police if you do not stop contacting me or turning up in places where you know I will be. ‘Please stop contacting me now.””
Miss Randell said that Chorlton went on to send seven further messages including by voice message and telephone calls. She added: “He sends her an Easter card and he also turns up at her address after being told not to contact her.
”She again said on April 15 ‘I have made it very clear on March 23 that I do not want you to contact me. I have blocked your number and yet you still find ways to contact me through text messages and a card. Any further contact and I will be contacting the police’.
“He responded to that message and that is when police got involved. It was persistent harassment over a prolonged period. Some distress was caused to the victim.”
‘You abused your position as a driving instructor’
In mitigation, defence lawyer Jo Gregory submitted two character references – one from a practicing solicitor – giving ”glowing reports” about Chorlton giving driving lessons to their friends, family and children whilst acting in a ”totally courteous and professional manner.”
Miss Gregory added: ”The defendant has not sought to blame the complainant. He accepts he acted inappropriately and crossed professional boundaries. She had driving lessons between 2017 and 2019 previously without incident and she has approached the defendant for refresher lessons. The defendant accepts he totally misread the personality of the complainant.”
Miss Gregory said there was no suggestion Chorlton made any threats towards his victim, adding that he felt “ashamed” and feels he had “let his wife and family down.”
She went on to say Chorlton was still working as a driving instructor, but has contacted the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) due to the criminal case. The court heard he has been asked to contact the DVSA once again after he has been sentenced, when they will consider the details of the case; adding it’s a possibility the driving instructor of 38 years will be removed from the register and lose his profession.
Chorlton was also ordered to complete 240 hours of unpaid work, 10 days of rehabilitation activity and pay £514 costs and victim surcharge.
JP Gavin Wells told him: ”It was prolonged harassment going on some 10 months after you were told not to do so. You abused your position as a driving instructor. The aggravating factors take this offence very close to the custody threshold.”