A VOLUNTEER driver has spoken of his two years of “living hell” after charges of sexual assault and sexual activity with two of his child passengers were dropped.

Bob Jackson ended up facing a number of court appearances after putting his hand on a girl’s waist while warning her to behave after she had shouted abuse at him while he was driving.

In a separate incident, the 59-year-old also put his arm around another girl and gave her a kiss on the cheek to comfort her after she became upset.

The stress of the charges, brought in July 2010, resulted in Mr Jackson, of Willington, County Durham, suffering a heart attack. Last Wednesday, he was given a two-year conditional discharge after pleading guilty to the lesser charges of common assault.

At his sentencing at Durham Crown Court, Recorder Anton Lodge said: “There does not appear to be any sexual intent at all and none should be implied.”

Last night, Mr Jackson said the false sex allegations had destroyed his life.

For the first five months after he was charged, Mr Jackson was not allowed to be left unsupervised with anyone under the age of 18 and his nine grandchildren were not allowed to stay at his home overnight.

He also avoided family functions, and his wife, Christina, for whom Mr Jackson is a registered carer, said the accusations had caused a split in their community.

She said: “It would put the seeds of doubt in your mind and you do start to think. A lot of people say there’s no smoke without a fire, but then you realise it’s Bob and it seems too ridiculous for words.

“Everyone who knows Bob has always supported him and I would like to thank those who have believed in him – we found out who our friends were.”

Mr Jackson said he accepted he was technically in the wrong, but said that any other adult, especially one who is a grandfather, would have put their arm around a child who was visibly upset. He vowed not to volunteer again and says he is now supremely cautious about how he acts in public.

His wife said: “He has never been particularly touchyfeely, but now he is very careful if anybody goes to hug him in case it is misunderstood.”

Mr Jackson, who had been a volunteer driver for seven years, said: “On reflection, I wish I had reported the abusive girl and not comforted the other one.

“It’s hard to see a crying child and not console them, like I would do with my own grandchildren, but that’s the way it has to be, otherwise you could end up in a living hell like mine.”