A DRIVING instructor from Bromley has pleaded guilty to a charge of stalking a 17-year-old student.

Graham Mansie, from Bromley, became obsessed with the teenager between July and October 2021 as he taught her how to drive.

The 52-year-old was convicted of one count of stalking at Bexley Magistrates’ Court today (April 21).

Mansie previously asked the teenager out for drinks and told her she was his “favourite.”

He also created a TikTok account which was dedicated to her.

Officers say he also gave another student a gift bag to pass on to her.

The gift bag contained £65 in restaurant vouchers, a keyring with eight personalised charms, and a card where he described the victim as “kind” and “amazing”.

The victim’s mother contacted Mansie about his behaviour and told him that he could no longer teach her daughter.

Mansie then responded to the mother and said: “Is it because I love her?”, according to the courts.

She blocked him on all social media and stopped taking driving lessons.

He was then spotted on her road before quickly making off.

The victim moved out of London to York to attend university in September 2021.

Mansie created a fake Instagram account as a student and befriended her and her flatmates.

He also managed to get on to a WhatsApp group for her Halls of Residence which could be accessed through a university Facebook page.

He was then reported to police in October and arrested in November 2021.

He will be sentenced at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on May 18.

Tracy Mesmain, from the CPS, said: “Stalking can be deeply distressing and can have a long-term impact upon victims.

“Graham Mansie became besotted with his student.

"As a trusted driving instructor he was simply tasked with helping a teenager pass her test, but his conduct became inappropriate and worrying.

"The victim also described his actions as making her feel vulnerable.

“The prosecution case included phone evidence which showed that Mansie had accessed the victim’s social media pages numerous times.

"When arrested and interviewed, he also confessed to police that he had used the dark web to try to contact people to hack into the victim’s social media accounts, in order to see what she was up to after getting blocked.

"He told police officers that he had lost hundreds of pounds being scammed trying to do this and was in love with the victim.

“I would like to highlight the bravery of the victim in this case, who came to court to give evidence against her stalker, before he changed his plea on the day of the trial.

“The CPS is absolutely committed to working with the police to bring stalkers before courts to face justice.

"I hope the successful prosecution of this case gives other victims the confidence to come forward and report their stalkers to the police.”

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