26 Mar 2013

Chetham’s teacher Michael Brewer jailed for sexual abuse

Choirmaster Michael Brewer, who sexually abused a former pupil at Chetham’s in Manchester, one of Britain’s top music schools, was today jailed for six years.

Brewer, 68, was convicted last month of indecently assaulting Frances Andrade, 48, when she was an underage student at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester.

The mother of four from Guildford, Surrey, gave evidence against him in his trial at Manchester Crown Court but a week later she took her own life before the jury reached its verdicts.

Brewer’s ex-wife, Kay, 68, was jailed for 21 months today after she was convicted at the same trial of indecently assaulting Mrs Andrade when she was 18.

Brewer, of Swarthmore Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham, was convicted of five counts of indecently assaulting his victim when she was 14 and 15 and known as Frances Shorney.

The abuse took place in his office and in his camper van, which he used to drive her out of the school grounds and get her to perform oral sex on him.

He was cleared of raping Mrs Andrade when she was 18 at his then home in Chorlton, Manchester.