AN Army cadet instructor progressed from giving lifts home to having sex with two teenage recruits.

Former full-time soldier Gary Trevor Dakers was yesterday jailed for two years after a court heard he had sex with the 15-year-old girls in his car and at a relative's home, where he stayed during a separation from his wife.

Durham Crown Court heard unprotected sex took place with one girl 20 to 30 times over two months.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said after she told him she may have a sexually transmitted disease, Dakers angrily ended the relationship.

He sent her threatening text messages, which were seen by her mother, who contacted police.

By then, Dakers had turned his attention to another girl, and began having sex with her while giving her lifts home.

Mr Dodds said: "The Crown would say he was taking advantage of these young girls in what was a position of trust."

Dakers was warned about giving them lifts, as it breached the instructors' code, which also forbids forming relationships with cadets. When interviewed, he said he was aware of their ages.

After initial denials, he later admitted having sex with them, but said it was consensual.

Dakers, 27, of Leekworth Gardens, Middleton-in-Teesdale, admitted four charges of sexual activity with a child.

Jailing him, Judge Peter Bowers said: "You know the Army, the parents and members of the public put great trust in you to behave responsibly with young girls in your charge, not only to protect them from abuse, but to some extent to protect them from themselves."

Dakers, who lost his job with the cadet force, was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for ten years.