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MICHAEL Brewer, 67, has been jailed for the rape of a student at Chetham School of Music, Manchester. The former Director of Music has been sentenced to six years by Judge Martin Rudland, at Manchester Crown Court who branded him a “predatory sex offender”.
Mr Brewer, who received an OBE in 1995 for his services to music, attacked the teenage girl 30 years ago at his office and in his camper van. His then wife, Hilary Brewer, 67, of Rossendale has also been found guilty and sentenced to 21 months for the indecent assault of the same girl, Frances Andrade, who committed suicide during the trail.
Mrs Andrade, 48, was found dead at her home in Guildford, Surrey, just a week after giving evidence against Mr Brewer. Three of her four children alongside her widower, Levine Andrade, appeared in court to hear the sentencing.
This has followed a spate of allegations against current and former employees of Chetham School of Music. In February, Wen Zhou Li, 57, was arrested by police as part of a nationwide inquiry into abuse at UK music schools. Wen Zhou Li is currently on police bail after denying charges. Also accused is Malcolm Layfield who recently stepped down as head of strings for the Royal Northern College of Music due to his position becoming ‘untenable’. Accusations were made against Mr Layfield by Mrs Andrade as well as three other women who were pupils at the school.
Detective Chief Superintendant Mary Doyle, head of Greater Manchester Police’s Public Protection Division said, “this is very much ongoing so it would not be appropriate for me to comment on numbers of victims or suspects at this stage, suffice to say we are continuing to get formal accounts and complaints from former pupils who currently live the length and breadth of the country as well as abroad”.
Michael Brewer
