May 2002 Instructor jailed for girl assault A married 64-year-old line-dance instructor has been jailed for three years for sexually assaulting a teenage pupil with whom he had become “obsessed”. David Middleton – described as a “stalwart of his local community other than for the offences” – denied five counts of indecent assault but was convicted by a jury at Chester Crown Court back in April. The former steel worker, from Connah’s Quay in Flintshire, abused the 14-year-old girl after taking her for a drive in a country lane and also engineered situations so he could be alone with her while her relatives danced in another room just yards away. Sentencing him on Monday, Judge Roger Dutton told Middleton that he had taken advantage of the pupil’s immaturity and that the effect on her had been “profound”. The hearing was told that she had harmed herself with a knife and had taken an overdose of paracetamol tablets. ‘Moment of madness’ Earlier in the year during his trial, the jury was told that the assaults – between September 2000 and April 2001 – began after Middleton sent his pupil a Valentine’s day card. However, Middleton denied his interest in the girl was unhealthy, and claimed he had sent the card in a “moment of madness”. But the prosecution said the defendant kissed the teenager before subjecting her to a series of sexual assaults. The court was told that when the girl, now aged 15, stopped attending the classes, Mr Middleton began to ring her at home. During a four-day trial, Middleton’s victim – who cannot be identified for legal reasons – gave evidence via a video link up. Sex offender The dance instructor denied the charges but was found guilty by a jury after four hours of deliberations. At the time Judge Roger Dutton warned: “He must understand that anyone in his position who indecently assaults a young vulnerable person in the way he has is going to lose his liberty. “He must be under no illusion as to what is going to happen to him. “Young people must be protected from those who cannot control their emotions.” Middleton was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life.