A school bus driver who sexually assaulted two 15-year-olds after telling them he could help them get into the world of modelling has been jailed.

Nigel Wheeler plied the youngsters with wine before coaxing them into undressing so he could take photos of them.

And the perverted 52-year-old also groped the girls, telling them as he did so that he could help them by showing the shots to a pal of his.

Claire Marlow, prosecuting, told a judge at Swindon Crown Court that Wheeler worked for Barnes Coaches in Aldbourne.

His work included the school run, transporting children from villages around Marlborough.

He used the position to chat to one of the girls and talked about modelling, saying he had a friend in the business.

He offered to take pictures of the girl which he would use to introduce her to his contact, said Miss Marlow.

In May last year he met up with the girl and another boy and girl, all aged 15, and arranged a photo shoot at his home for the following day.

When they went to his flat he gave wine to the girls and beer to the boy.

When the first girl went to have her photos taken in another room, Wheeler gave her a baby doll-type outfit to wear.

He first convinced her to take off her underwear, saying it would improve her chances of becoming a model.

As well as touching her, he took photos on his mobile phone before it was the second girl's turn.

She was more shy and the other girl was present as he also touched her and took indecent photographs of her while she sat on his bed.

He also took a video clip of the girl and asked the two of them to indecently touch each other, which they refused to do.

At one point one of the girls dragged the boy they had been with into the room as she was feeling so exposed, said Miss Marlow.

When Wheeler was questioned he admitted meeting the children and taking the photographs but denied having a sexual interest in children.

He said he had shown the pictures to a friend called Jim but said he had not been interested in them.

Wheeler, of Kimmeridge Close, Nythe, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual activity with a child and four of taking an indecent photograph of a child.

Rob Ross, defending, said his client had no history of similar offending and had worked in the USA coaching children without any problem.

Wheeler was jailed for eight months, banned from working with children, told to register as a sex offender for ten years and given a ten year sexual offences prevention order restricting his liberty.

10:53am Thursday 8th May 2008

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