A TEENAGER has told how he was left feeling "vulnerable and violated" after being sexually assaulted by Black Country driving instructor Gary Rolinson who was today (Friday) starting a four-year jail term.

Rolinson was sentenced at Warwickshire Justice Centre in Leamington Spa after being convicted of sexually assaulting six young male students while they were having lessons.

The 60-year-old, who ran 500+ Driving School Ltd in Kingswinford, had denied 13 charges of sexual assault and one of causing a person to engage in sexual activity between 2012 and 2014 but he was found guilty after a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court earlier this year.

The jury heard he would repeatedly grope male pupils, who were aged 17 and 18 at the time, during lessons.

But one of the young men made a complaint to West Midlands Police in 2014, sparking an investigation which identified further victims after officers wrote to former and current pupils.

The police inquiry revealed how Rolinson, formerly of Andover Road, Kingswinford, would manipulate his students by attempting to excuse and justify his behaviour as a bit of fun.

When one of them objected to him putting his hands on his thigh, Rolinson said to the youth: "Don’t come with me if you can’t take a joke".

Another teen told officers he felt he had to "go along with the banter", fearing that if he didn’t he wouldn’t get on with the instructor. He only realised it was something more serious when Rolinson put his hands down his trousers.

And a third victim disclosed how Rolinson once warned him - after months of abuse - about "some lad" who had broken his trust and said: "I’m glad I can trust you. You won’t tell anyone."

Now, following the conclusion of the case, one of Rolinson's victims, now 19, has bravely spoken out about how it felt to suffer at the hands of the depraved driving instructor.

The young man, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: "When I was first assaulted I knew what he was doing was wrong and did ask that he shouldn’t do it again. He just shrugged it off and said: ‘You’ll get used to it’.

"I felt vulnerable and violated.

"I did tell Gary that if he didn’t stop, I would find another driving instructor but he said that it wouldn’t be a good idea because he knows all of the people my age around the area and would say bad things about me to them if I left.

"Because I’m a boy I felt as though I couldn’t say anything. It was as if people would laugh at me or not believe me. He made very small advances initially and the actions built up each lesson. He’d do something more serious each week. This type of behaviour along with the fact that it’s embarrassing to say as a 17-year-old boy that you’re being sexually assaulted by a 59-year-old man are the reasons why I didn’t say anything initially.

"People have also asked me why I didn’t get another driving instructor. The answer to that is simple - to get another driving instructor, my parents would have to know what was happening and I didn’t want that.

"The thing that bothers me is his lack of remorse for his actions. He honestly believes that nothing happened. He doesn’t have to live with the knowledge that he was abused like I do. I hope he has time to think about his actions.

"The satisfaction that I get from this is that he won’t be able to teach children anymore so no other teenagers have to go through what I went through."

The teenager is now urging other young men to have the courage to tell someone - "a friend, teacher, parent, anyone" - if they have been sexually assaulted.

He said: "Don't contact the abuser. The police are honestly so helpful and won’t judge.

"Things like these do happen to guys and it’s not something to be kept quiet."

Detective Inspector Sarah Booth, from West Midlands Police’s Public Protection Unit, said the force takes "all reports of sexual assault very seriously" and added: "We have a team of specially trained officers who can help and support survivors throughout the entire process.

"We always investigate offences in a discreet and professional manner offering help, support and guidance from the time of reporting right through to the conclusion of an investigation."

She praised the young men for boldly speaking out about Rolinson, who maintained he was totally innocent, and she said: "These lads should have been excited as they came of age and got behind the wheel of a car for the first time, but instead they were left confused, intimidated or scared by Rolinson’s behaviour.

"It took a lot of courage for them to speak out and thanks to their bravery in coming forward and giving evidence at court a predatory sex offender has now been taken off the streets."

She added: "Gary Rolinson was trusted to deliver a professional service but he betrayed everyone by using his respected position as a driving instructor for his own sexual gratification."