Chetham's Sex Fiend Michael Brewer Jailed – but Still Denies Guilt

Manchester Evening News
March 27, 2013

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/chethams-sex-fiend-michael-brewer-2038174

Michael Brewer, left, and Hilary Brewer, right

The school’s ex-director of music was jailed for six years for a campaign of abuse against former pupil Frances Andrade

A former choirmaster at Manchester’s world-famous Chetham’s School of Music was today behind bars for a campaign of sex assaults – but still denying his guilt.

Predatory sex offender Michael Brewer, the school’s ex-director of music, has been jailed for six years for a campaign of abuse against tragic former pupil Frances Andrade.

Acclaimed violinist Mrs Andrade is understood to have committed suicide after being branded a ‘fantasist’ and ‘liar’ during his trial. The jury, however, convicted Brewer of five counts of indecent assault.

Computer records showed Mrs Andrade, 48, who was found dead at home in Surrey a week after testifying against Brewer, had researched details of the trial on Google before her body was found.

Brewer’s ex-wife Hilary, said to be a ‘stoic’ Christian, was also convicted of indecent assault. She was jailed for 21 months.

Shamed Brewer, 68, of Selly Oak, Birmingham, smiled at sobbing family members in the public gallery as he was led away from his sentencing hearing.

The court was told he continues to deny any wrongdoing – and has been teaching inmates to read and learn Spanish, and been playing music in the prison chapel, while on remand.

Police confirmed that an historic sex abuse investigation in relation to offences at Chetham’s, launched after calls from former pupils, was continuing. It is understood that around 10 former employees are under investigation in the probe.

Mrs Andrade, a mum-of-four married to acclaimed viola player Levine Andrade, was indecently assaulted by Brewer when she was aged 14 and 15.

Assaults took place at his school office and inside a camper van, Manchester Crown Court was told.

She was described as ‘vulnerable’, but a ‘star pupil’. The court heard, however, that ‘important and influential’ Brewer groomed her with ‘hugs and compliments’, which led to the sex abuse. He was arrested after she confided in a friend, who contacted police. Brewer was cleared of one count of rape.

His ex-wife Hilary Brewer, 68, of Knowl Gap Avenue, Rossendale, was found guilty of a single count of indecent assault against Mrs Andrade. The court was told she indecently assaulted her at their former home in Chorlton. She was cleared of one count of aiding and abetting rape.

The court was told Mrs Brewer also continues to deny any wrongdoing. Judge Martin Rudland acknowledged the ‘terribly sad and tragic death’ of Mrs Andrade, but said he was not able to take the tragedy into consideration when passing sentence. He said Mrs Andrade was treated by Brewer as his ‘sexual plaything’.

Judge Rudland said Brewer had pursued an ‘outstanding and highly successful career’ and had ‘enthused and inspired’ many musical students, but added: “That is now at an end. Sadly there is another side to you and it is this. You were, and may still be, a predatory sex offender – of that let no one be in any doubt.”

The judge made reference to another pupil, who he called Pupil M, and said he was raising the matter to show Brewer had a ‘particular sexual interest’ in his pupils.

The music master, who was awarded an OBE for services to music in 1995, resigned from Chetham’s in 1994 after his affair with Pupil M was uncovered. The affair was later hushed up.

Judge Rudland told Brewer: “You used your powerful position to select and groom your victims.”

Det Chief Supt Mary Doyle offered condolences to Mrs Andrade’s family and said officers were continuing to get formal accounts and complaints from former pupils who ‘live the length and breadth of the country as well as abroad’. She said: “It is heartbreaking that she is not able to see she has been vindicated for the bravery she consistently showed, which has ended with the Brewers being sentenced and brought to justice.”

The school said Brewer ‘breached the trust placed in him’.