A Ford car boss branded a ”serial groper” by a judge after he molested four female workers has been jailed for two years.
Slimey Charles Archer, 48, even posed for a Christmas party photograph with one arm around his wife and the other hand on a young trainee’s BOOB.
Female workers at his Ford dealership, Archer’s of Ashby Ltd, Leics., nicknamed him ”Octopus arms” because of his reputation for fondling his employees.
Archer was caged for two years at Leicester Crown Court on Friday after being convicted of 11 counts of sexual assault.
Jailing him, Judge Simon Hammond told Archer he was ”a serial groper”.
He said: ”He abused his position of power as an employer to exploit the fact these attractive young women were keen to keep their employment.
”He displayed a lack of respect and showed arrogance. He’s a serial groper.
”During the trial, he tried to criticise and blacken the character of some of the girls.
”They gave evidence with great courage and dignity.”
The court heard married Archer groped a 17-year-old girl’s breasts just three days after she started working for him.
Father-of-two Archer was found guilty of 11 sexual assaults against three teenage girls and one woman in her 20s between 1989 and 2009.
He was acquitted of four further indecent assault offences.
Earlier the court heard Archer even tried to bully one of his terrified victims into dropping the charges before the trial.
Mary Prior, prosecuting, said Archer went to a nightclub and told the boyfriend of one his victim’s he would ”destroy” her if she gave evidence against him.
Shameless Archer also tried to buy off another of his victims who complained about his wandering hands by letting her use a #20,000 hot-hatch car.
When another of his young victim’s fathers confronted him about his abuse Archer begged him not to tell his wife.
Mrs Prior added that Archer was so ”comfortable” molesting his employees he did so in a photo at a Christmas party.
She said: ”The picture shows Archer touching one girl’s breasts while his other arm was around his wife’s waist.”
Archer claimed he was ”tactile” and possibly over-friendly towards his staff, but insisted he did not deliberately sexually touch the victims.
But his victims, who were trainees, told the court how Archer would lean over their computers and touch them.
The court heard that Archer put his hand inside the bra of a 17-year-old apprentice three days after she started work.
He later apologised by text, but weeks later put his hand down her top and also down her trousers.
Archer also pressed his groin against the bottom of a 16-year-old as she made a cup of tea and, in a different incident, touched the top of her breast.
He also touched a 17-year-old’s stomach and stroked her hair and neck and moved close as if he was about to kiss her, but she turned away.
Archer, of Anglia Drive, Church Gresley, near Swadlincote, Derbys., was also ordered to sign the sex offender’s register for ten years.
Mark Watson, defending, said: ”He unequivocally apologises to the complainants.
”There’s an understanding to the defendant now as to the impact of his behaviour and recognition his behaviour was unacceptable and shouldn’t have taken place.
”As a result of his convictions, he’s lost everything as far as his business is concerned and removed himself from it.”
Pretty Hannah Garner, 28, from Ashby, Leics., was molested while she worked for the former managing director two years ago.
Hannah, who waived her anonymity to speak after he was convicted in August, said: ”The build-up to the trial has been the most nerve-wracking thing, just worrying about what other people would think and how it was going to come across.
”I always thought that if something like that happened to me I would retaliate with a slap in the face.
”But I found it very hard to speak up initially.
”I just want to say if there is anybody else who is in the same position, they can come forward and they will be heard.
”I’m just glad that he won’t be able to do it to anyone else.
”I was shaking like a leaf before the verdict was read out.
”Now it’s like a weight’s been lifted from my shoulders.
”The police who have handled my case have been brilliant from start to finish.
”There’s a big gap between the incidents and he’s obviously not changed his behaviour in the two years.”
