Driving instructor stalked by pupil says police failings show society's 'indifference' to the crime

A driving instructor who was stalked by an ex-pupil says officers need to be "educated" on the long-lasting impact of the crime following a scathing report into police failings.

Bob Coughtrey, 60, from the Flyde Coast, says he is still "trying to function" and is "always on his guard" after he was stalked by a student after she passed her test in 2017.

She sent weeks of text messages, including the words "hurt" and "stab", and later turned up at his home and threatened to kill him.

Three official watchdogs have found stalking victims are being "let down." In too many cases, police "failed to recognise stalking or take the necessary steps to protect victims."

Bob said he thought the report was "absolutely spot on" and revealed a view of "almost indifference" to stalking by the authorities and society as a whole.

He said: "They’re seeing it as a just a bit of interest - someone's giving you a bit of attention. It's not attention, it's not interest, and it's certainly not invited or wanted.

"Police officers are still a member of society, let's face it. I know a close friend, who's in a police force. He said at the time: 'We don't take it seriously.' It was shocking to hear that."

Bob's stalker appeared in court twice, receiving suspended prison sentences on both occasions - alongside an indefinite restraining order.

The boss of one of the watchdogs involved in the report, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), made clear stalking victims need to have "confidence to come forward, knowing they will be listened to and supported."

IOPC Director General Rachel Watson said: "Sadly, we also saw too many cases where police failed to recognise stalking or take the necessary steps to protect victims – and policing must act now to improve this."

Too often the probe uncovered "examples of the police not taking stalking seriously enough” and the watchdogs found it "especially concerning" that, in some cases, police "had not identified risk of serious harm or homicide to a victim."

The report did find some good practice but made a string of recommendations for improvement.

For Bob, the report underlines how the damage caused by stalking needs to be better understood.

"The first thing that that should be considered is the sheer impact," he said. "If it's left - worst case scenario - it's going to cost a life and, at the very least, it's going to scar you.

"It's got to be education. We've got to learn by all of these cases. I’m still trying to function. I'm still trying to go about my daily business.

"But I'm always on my guard. This was years ago now and I'm always on my guard. It never goes away.

"Too many people are left with these mental scars - looking over your shoulder constantly.

"But if it's nipped in the bud before it gets this bad, then that scar is going to be smaller."

Responding to today's report, Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills, from the National Police Chiefs’ Council, pledged to "improve and standardise the service victims receive."

He added: "We remain committed to doing everything possible to improve the policing response for victims of stalking."

While the Crown Prosecution Service said it would continue to work with police to bring "robust" cases to court.

Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips said the Government would "respond fully" to the report in due course, adding of its recommendations:"We are already actively considering these, looking at how we can work with the police to overhaul how we respond to this crime and put more perpetrators behind bars."

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