Eastern suburbs driving instructor arrested and charged with nine counts of indecent assault
A 62-year-old driving instructor has been arrested and charged with nine counts of indecent assault allegedly committed against two of his teenage students.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A driving instructor who allegedly touched two learner drivers during lessons has been arrested and charged with indecent assault just days before mandatory working with children checks come into effect.
Detectives arrested the 62-year-old man from the eastern suburbs on Saturday for the alleged assaults, which occurred in 2019 and this year.
The arrest is the second of its kind in two weeks after a northern suburbs instructor was also arrested for indecent assault.
The man from the latest incident is charged with nine counts of aggravated indecent assault and one count of indecent behaviour. It will be alleged the victims were two teenagers. He was bailed with strict conditions to appear at Adelaide Magistrates Court in August.
The Motor Vehicle Registry has been notified of his arrest.
Police are appealing to any other driving students who may have information about instructors perpetrating inappropriate behaviour to come forward.
From Wednesday, it will be compulsory for all instructors to obtain working-with-children checks before they continue teaching.
Australian Driver Trainers Association SA president Alvin Jupp said the changes were welcomed by the industry.
“It gives everyone peace of mind that they’re engaging the correct instructor,” he said.
“A lot of driving instructors have had their clearances over the years so this is good.” In February, Transport Minister Stephan Knoll announced sweeping reform for the industry, which is expected to be announced in the coming months.
It follows a State Government-commissioned survey of the sector and students which found 85 per cent of industry participants were aware or very aware of corruption in the industry.
That same month, a driving instructor who bribed her corrupt son to pass her students and give them licences without testing them narrowly avoided prison.
The Adelaide Magistrates Court suspended Ibtisam Dimachki’s nine-month prison term on condition of a two-year, $1000 good-behaviour bond.
Her son, Jawad Joe Dimachki, is serving a six-year prison term for running a “cash-for-licences” scam that saw him pass students without ever examining their skills.
Mr Knoll said the driver-teaching sector overhaul included tougher entry requirements for instructors, harsher sanctions for poor performance, increased penalties for unacceptable behaviour and greater transparency of auditing.
“We are working with industry to develop long-awaited reforms that will help crack down on driving instructors doing the wrong thing and help keep our kids safe,” he said.
The latest arrest of a driving instructor comes just two weeks after a northern suburbs instructor was charged with indecently assaulting a learner driver.
It is alleged the 62-year-old indecently assaulted the teenager while parked on a road during a lesson in January.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.