AS a small purple automotive pulled up outdoors her dwelling in Stroud, Morgane Chapman, then aged 17, felt excited and nervous for her first driving lesson.
It was the beginning of a horrendous ordeal that might finish along with her standing in courtroom, testifying in opposition to a sick beast who subjected her to “bizarre and creepy” sexual abuse, which shockingly proved simply the tip of the iceberg.
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It was September 2016, and Morgane couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel, get her licence and achieve independence.
“He’s right here!” she shouted to her dad and mom, earlier than they wished her luck for her first driving lesson.
Her teacher Michael Florek, 64, smiled and launched himself. Morgane felt she was in protected arms as he was a good teacher within the space with a long time of expertise.
But unbeknown to Morgane, her life was about to vary endlessly.
She had no concept that Florek was abusing his place of belief, harassing and sexually abusing his feminine college students throughout classes.
Florek was a prolific serial abuser, preying on a number of ladies throughout Gloucestershire over 38 years while instructing.
Now Morgane, 25, and one other one in every of Florek’s victims, Phoebe Horrocks, 25, are combating for higher safety of younger ladies taking driving classes with their organisation, Drive Change.
The pair declare there’s no safeguarding in place for learner drivers, and shockingly, instructors throughout the UK are usually not classed as being in a ‘place of belief’ for intercourse offenders legal guidelines, in contrast to lecturers and sports activities coaches.
It comes after the BBC revealed an increase within the variety of complaints to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) of inappropriate or sexual behaviour by instructors, leaping from 100 in 2020 to 131 in 2023.
Morgane, a music firm receptionist, says: “My dad and mom – Sue and David, then each 44 – had simply gifted me classes for my birthday.
“Michael stated howdy and appeared pleasant and heat. As the lesson started, he instantly quizzed me on my life.
“Right after, he drove us to a quiet, remoted space. An industrial property off an airfield in Stroud.
“I assumed it was a bizarre, unusual place to take me. He then instructed me to face in entrance of the automotive to learn a quantity plate within the distance.
“As I stood in entrance of the automotive, he watched me silently for some time earlier than I may get again in.”
After that Morgane did a lesson with Florek as soon as per week.
She says: “One day, as he was instructing me the gears, he held my hand on the gear stick.
“My coronary heart jumped. I didn’t know if he was meant to carry my hand or not. I instructed myself it was regular.
“He requested if I had a boyfriend. I instructed him no. He then requested if I had my nipples pierced and I used to be misplaced for phrases.
“I awkwardly laughed and stated no. After that lesson I’d determined Michael was past bizarre and creepy.
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“Something was very off about him. I assumed he should’ve taken an odd liking to me, however not different college students.”
From then on Morgane claims Florek’s inappropriate questions grew worse – even asking if she had an intimate piercing down beneath.
Morgane says: “I saved anxiously laughing his questions off. But it regarded like he was getting aroused.
“Then one other time, he was instructing me the blind spot and knowledgeable he was going to achieve over my boobs.
“He groped my breasts as he confirmed me the blind spot. In shock, I froze up.
“I didn’t know if it was proper, or regular. Back at dwelling I used to be full of dread every week as my lesson neared.
He groped my breasts as he confirmed me the blind spot. In shock, I froze up
Morgane
“I didn’t dare inform anybody in my household. I used to be too embarrassed.”
Desperate to move her take a look at so she may achieve long-awaited independence and freedom, Morgane instructed herself she would solely must put up with Florek for a 12 months.
During the remainder of her classes, at any time when she had points with clutch management, Florek would maintain her inside thigh to assist her.
She says: “He’d ask me if I may really feel the clutch, while touching my thigh. I knew it was flawed and I simply hoped for all of it to be over quickly.
“As I obtained nearer to my take a look at date, I wasn’t certain how for much longer I may take with Michael.
“Weeks earlier than, Michael instructed me he knew the examiner and that I wanted to put on a brief skirt and costume like a sl***y school-girl.
“He stated it will distract him and the folks on the take a look at centre, then I may move. All of his ex-students had apparently handed the primary time this manner.
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“Determined to move my take a look at I listened and wore a tiny skirt. As he drove us to the take a look at centre, within the nook of my eye, I may see Michael gawking at my legs.
“But in the course of the take a look at, with the examiner, I felt so foolish and embarrassed. I ended up failing that day and was devastated.
“I used to be crying as I needed to have extra classes with Michael, too.
“At Christmas, when Mariah Carey would play on the radio, he’d inform me he wished to see her having intercourse, bouncing on him.
“He at all times requested me if I’d taken bare pictures. It frequently made me wish to leap out of the automotive. I used to be terrified, particularly as he had no cameras.”
He at all times requested me if I’d taken bare pictures. It frequently made me wish to leap out of the automotive. I used to be terrified, particularly as he had no cameras
Morgane
Finally in October 2017, Morgane handed her take a look at on her fourth go, aged 18.
Her dad and mom gifted her a silver Mini Cooper, and she or he was relieved to be free from Florek.
Over the years she noticed Florek instructing different college students within the space.
Determined to maneuver on along with her life, she ended up shifting to Australia in January 2022, aged 23.
The fact revealed
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But as she visited dwelling for Christmas that December, her mum broke some information.
Morgane says: “Mum instructed me my brother had a lesson with Michael. I felt sick.
“All the teachings got here flooding again to me. I’d spent years pushing it apart. Now, a lot older and wiser, I knew the reality.
“Michael was a predator and he preyed on me once I was a susceptible younger woman.
“Thinking of my little brother close to that creep horrified me. I broke down and instructed my mum all the things.
“She was in shock, and devastated. She instructed me there was no means I used to be the one sufferer.
Michael was a predator and he preyed on me once I was a susceptible younger woman. Thinking of my little brother close to that creep horrified me
Morgane
“For years I’d satisfied myself it was simply me, so her phrases hit me like a tonne of bricks.”
That month Morgane moved again to the UK, and her mum helped her come ahead to the police the place she bravely gave her assertion.
There, the detective knowledgeable her that different ladies had come ahead about Florek, and their statements have been extraordinarily comparable.
All the others had been aged between 17 and 19, and have been abused and harassed throughout classes with Florek too.
Morgane says: “Feeling overwhelmed, I realised how big this was going to be. The CPS started working arduous to mix all of our circumstances collectively.
“It took two years to get to courtroom. During that point, I used to be a multitude.
“Sexual assault wasn’t as black and white as I’d at all times thought. It could possibly be touching, inappropriate questions.
“I used to be younger and susceptible in that automotive, trapped with him. He’d abused his place of belief, preying on me.
“As the trial obtained nearer, I needed to dismiss myself from work as a result of my psychological well being. I dreaded seeing Michael once more too and apprehensive if the jury would consider me.”
Sick jokes
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In October 2024, Morgane arrived at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court and noticed the opposite victim-survivors.
One of them was Phoebe Horrocks, 25, a psychological well being employee.
Morgane says: “The ladies have been all beautiful, however we weren’t allowed to talk.
“As Michael got here into the courtroom, all of us checked out one another, full of adrenaline. I used to be the primary one to go up on the stand. I whispered, ‘We’ve obtained this.’
“As I gave proof, I couldn’t face Michael. I had a display screen up.
“He’d been instructing for almost 40 years. We all believed there have been a whole lot extra on the market. Little did everyone knows, we’d locked ourselves in a automotive with a sexual predator.”
Like Morgane, Phoebe was additionally from Stroud and had heard rave critiques about Florek from native associates. She’d booked her first lesson with him aged 18 in 2018.
Phoebe says: “I went on-line and checked his web site then booked my first lesson with him. But like Morgane, he additionally took me to a quiet property, with nobody round.
We all believed there have been a whole lot extra on the market. Little did everyone knows, we’d locked ourselves in a automotive with a sexual predator
Morgane Chapman
“As we obtained to the deserted space, I felt scared. Back within the automotive, he requested me if I’d sh*gged a relative of his, and instructed me a narrative a couple of attractive woman in uniform.
“He made jokes about sleeping with underage women and requested me if I had a boyfriend consistently.
“I went right into a freeze mode. I used to be already anxious about driving.
“Then all of a sudden, midway via the lesson, he positioned his hand on my breast.
“He groped me as he reached for the steering wheel, or fifth gear. He additionally squeezed his hand on my thighs as we did the clutch.
“I had no concept if driving instructors may contact you or not. After that, I by no means managed to take classes lengthy sufficient to move my take a look at.
“Like Morgane I lived in silence for years, afraid I wouldn’t be believed.
“But in 2022, once I was 22, I reported him and after that I discovered different ladies on Facebook who have been his victims too.”
Guilty verdict
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In October 2024, Michael Florek, 64, of Swallowcroft, Eastington close to Stonehouse, was discovered responsible of sexually assaulting Phoebe, sexually assaulting Morgane, and sexually assaulting one other three ladies throughout Gloucestershire between 2016 and 2021 at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court.
In November 2024, Michael was sentenced to 14 months, suspended for 2 years at Gloucester Crown Court.
The 64-year-old was additionally handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which prohibited him from working or performing as a driving teacher till October 2034.
During that point he was ordered to additionally present police with the small print of any car he owned, used or had entry to.
I had no concept if driving instructors may contact you or not. After that, I by no means managed to take classes lengthy sufficient to move my take a look at
Phoebe Horrocks
At the sentencing, each Morgane and Phoebe confirmed up and skim their impression statements out, once more from behind a display screen.
Morgane says: “I instructed the courtroom how I felt an immense guilt and disgrace of not with the ability to come ahead and inform my household.
“As I heard Phoebe inform hers about how she couldn’t drive to go to her sick household, as a result of trauma of her classes, I couldn’t cease sobbing.
“After listening to his sentence, we each grasped onto one another hugging and requested one another, what subsequent? Although we’d had justice, we have been decided to do extra.
“We each exchanged numbers, and Phoebe started contacting organisations and the federal government attempting to make modifications.”
How to report a sexual assault
Fight for change
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Phoebe, initially from Stroud however now residing in Bristol, and Morgane, started campaigning to deliver driving instructors’ sexual abuse to mild.
Phoebe says: “My anxiousness is unhealthy; I nonetheless can’t drive right this moment. That lesson haunted me.
“Now Morgane and I are combating for change so folks might be protected and safer throughout their classes.
My anxiousness is unhealthy; I nonetheless can’t drive right this moment. That lesson haunted me
Phoebe Horrocks
“The legal guidelines want to vary. Driving instructors aren’t below the ‘place of belief’ for intercourse offenders legal guidelines, in contrast to lecturers and sports activities coaches.
“There was no safeguarding coaching for instructors, or nationwide grievance procedures in place.”
The pair have turn into good associates and are persevering with their work to lift consciousness.
Shocking information
In April this 12 months, the ladies acquired the information that Florek had dedicated suicide simply earlier than his second trial.
Morgane says: “Phoebe and I obtained a name that he’d killed himself.
“It had a huge effect on us and was very tough. It was a mix of feelings for each of us and we took it actually arduous.
“Now we’re nonetheless doing all the things we are able to. We’ve simply ran a 10k collectively. And I simply ran the Manchester Half Marathon alone too to lift consciousness for sexual assault victims, and I’ll be doing it once more in October too.
“If you don’t shout, you’re not heard. We need different victims of driving instructors to return ahead too. Please do not be afraid.”
If you’re in want of help then comply with and message @drive_change on Instagram, or e-mail Morgane and Phoebe at information@drivechange.org.uk
