Ex-Portsmouth driving instructor in court facing £30,000 claim for damages amid accusations that Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is 'corrupt, thieves and racists who abuse students'

Milton-based Robert Hood, 55, has applied to strike out a claim of harassing people at the government department with social media posts that allegedly published addresses of individuals and accused them of abusing students. The defendant was appearing at Portsmouth County Court after DVSA brought the claim.

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Mr Hood was struck off by the Approved Driving Instructors last year after a campaign of harassment towards Red Driving School in Portsmouth. He appeared at the county court just last month following a £20,000 claim against Louise Berry, a self-employed driving instructor, and her husband, alleging them of harassment, defamation, perjury and posting false material on social media against himself and his sick child. The case was dismissed by a judge who said the court did not have jurisdiction with Mr Hood told to pay the defendants £1,200 legal fees.

Appearing at the same court, but this time as the defendant, Mr Hood was facing a claim from the DVSA for an injunction to stop him posting material online and for damages under the harassment act. Mr Hood contested the claim and lodged an application for it to be ‘thrown out’.

Richard Wheeler, the barrister for DVSA, told the court there were ‘very considerable issues’ that had caused ‘great concern’ from officials at the department. ‘The history goes back a couple of years with there being an escalation of harassment that is ongoing with quite abusive posts on social media,’ he said.

‘(Mr Hood) has been publishing their home addresses and referring to them as being corrupt, thieves and racists who abuse students.’

But with the hearing short of time and due to be adjourned, Mr Wheeler called for an interim injunction to ‘restrain behaviours and remove the current posts’. Mr Hood said he would oppose any interim injunction.

However, the judge decided there was not enough time for this application during the slot before the case was adjourned until December 21 for interim injunction and strike out applications.