Woman sexually assaulted by choirmaster killed herself after giving evidence against him

[The Straight Story]

(UK) The body of violin teacher Frances Andrade, 48, was found at her home less than a week after she gave evidence against Michael Brewer, 68, at Manchester Crown Court.

Today Brewer was cleared of rape but convicted of five counts of indecently assaulting Mrs Andrade in his office when she was aged 14 and 15.

His former wife, Kay, 68, was cleared of aiding and abetting rape, but found guilty of indecent assault against Mrs Andrade at the family home when she was 18.

News of Mrs Andrade’s death was kept from the jury until the case ended this afternoon.

In a separate incident, Brewer resigned from Chetham's in 1994 after an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old girl.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9858177/Woman-sexually-assaulted-by-choirmaster-killed-herself-after-giving-evidence-against-him.html

[seabeyond]

1. yes. the victim is a liar and creating a fantasy and job well done. take no responsibility

for your action even if the job. why would the woman be combative?

did not say anything about jail time.

[narnian60]

2. No words.

[malaise]

3. Are they sure she committed suicide?

Sickening!

[niyad]

5. that thought crossed my mind, as well.

[niyad]

4. I am confused here--what is quoted says he was found guilty of five counts of assault.

yet, in looking at the whole article, it says:



A day earlier, the jury - on the direction of the judge - recorded not guilty verdicts on five counts of indecent assault against Brewer due to insufficient evidence about how old the complainant was at the time of the allegations.

so which was it?

and this creep had to resign in 1994 because of similar activities, and yet, went on to lead youth choirs? what in the HELL is wrong with people?

[MattBaggins]

7. It's the sickest part of child molestation

LONG LONG LONG history of sweeping it under the rug.

Too many people don't want to believe that a respected and beloved member of the community could secretly be such a monster.

The uglier side has to be the parents who are to concerned with their own "family shame" and don't want the neighbors to find out. How devastating must it be to a child to have your parents basically abandon you at such a time? Parental response may even be a bigger reason for the long term damage done to victims.

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. The trial started with 13 counts of indecent assault, and 1 of rape

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-21033266

Then, during the trial, 5 counts were dismissed, as the Telegraph article said; then, at the end, he was found guilty on 5 of the remaining indecent assault charges, and not guilty of 3, and of the rape charge: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/feb/08/sexual-abuse-victim-killed-herself-trial

He was forced to resign in 1994 because of the involvement with the 16 year old (sometimes reported as 17 year old - perhaps because it went on for some time). But that seems to have been held to been consensual at the time, and would not have been against the law; and the school chose not to tell others about the reason for his resignation.

Michael Brewer told the court he had loved the 17-year-old, and had "wonderful" memories of the relationship.

The girl, now a grown woman, recalled things differently. She thought she was in love with him at the time, she told the jury. But she saw it "a bit differently now as an adult". She felt abused.

She felt uncomfortable with the memory of the matching watches he bought them from Argos, which he had engraved with their initials. And she was perplexed at the memory of Kay Brewer giving her a copy of the House at Pooh Corner, bearing the handwritten inscription: "Don't worry about things, he is just a normal human being with all the same insecurities and doubts as you, love Kay." In evidence, Kay said she didn't remember giving the gift, but conceded it was "the sort of thing I might have done".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/feb/08/michael-brewer-victim-teacher-abuser

The then-head girl told how, when she was 17, Mr Brewer convinced her he was in love with her while groping her in his office and practice rooms. The relationship came to an end when the then headmaster, Reverend Peter Hullah, almost walked in on them with her topless.

He confronted Mr Brewer, who admitted the relationship.

Rather than be sacked, the director of music was allowed to resign on the grounds of ill health in 1994.

And so it was that Mr Brewer’s career was not blighted, but actually blossomed.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2275954/Michael-Kay-Brewer-guilty-The-choirmaster-abused-girls-twisted-wife-joined-in.html

[MattBaggins]

6. That is absolutely heart wrenching to hear.

Rape is such an evil crime.

[niyad]

8. the whole story is beyond sickening--including this part:

Brewer, who was awarded an OBE for services to music in 1995, resigned as music director at Chetham's at the end of 1994 after his affair with another pupil, then aged 17, was uncovered.

But the affair was hushed up, the court heard, and, after leaving Chetham's, Brewer went on to become the artistic director of the National Youth Choirs of Britain, to direct the World Youth Choir, serve as an adjudicator in international competitions and lead BBC workshops for the programme Last Choir Standing in 2008.

[niyad]

10. apparently brewer found a ready victim:

. . . .

Andrade told the jury she had self-harmed all her life. "Self harming was the means by which I knew I was alive," she said in court, revealing that she gave herself "black eyes" ahead of her audition for Chetham's. Adopted as a baby, she claimed in court that she had been sexually abused by an uncle from a young age and was badly affected by the death of her adopted father when she was a girl. She never got on well with her adopted mother, she said.

. . . .

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/feb/08/sexual-abuse-victim-killed-herself-trial

[niyad]

11. from her funeral service:

(I wonder if it even bothers brewer and his ex-wife in the slightest?)

. . .

Klingels said "She was such a joyous person who brought light into all of her lives with her acute mind and loving, caring character."

Everyone, including Brewer, agreed that Andrade had a remarkable talent for the violin.

Fiona Stephen, a friend of 30 years, said: "Fran was a phenomenal player. Even when she was a teenager she played with such depth and intensity, it was like she had lived a thousand lives."
Anne Sophie-Mutter, the German concert violinist, once said Andrade was responsible for "the most passionate violin playing I have ever heard". Another famous violinist, Victor Lieberman, said her music was "perfect in sound and expression".

Both tributes were included in the programme for Andrade's funeral, which took place in Guildford crematorium on Monday. It was packed with more than 200 mourners, guests said. Two of her children gave a tribute at the funeral, along with her husband and two friends.

. . . .

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/feb/08/sexual-abuse-victim-killed-herself-trial

[niyad]

12. heartbreaking account by fran's husband, levine andrade:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2276229/My-wife-killed-trial-choirmaster-Husbands-anguished-account-abused-wife-spiralled-suicide-court-ordeal.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490#axzz2KRnihukH

[The Straight Story]

13. It is amazing that some people don't realize how lasting an effect abuse has (nt)

[niyad]

14. not just the abuse itself, but the non-belief of the survivor's story, the implied (or badly stated)

belief in their responsibility for it, etc., etc.

[niyad]

15. now that this bastard has been convicted, can anybody tell me: does he keep his obe, or is

it taken away (one hopes)??