Brentwood choirmaster and MBE teacher admits child abuse spanning four decades | Bolt Burdon Kemp Brentwood choirmaster and MBE teacher admits child abuse spanning four decades | Bolt Burdon Kemp

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Brentwood choirmaster and MBE teacher admits child abuse spanning four decades

A celebrated music teacher and choirmaster who was awarded an MBE has admitted more than 30 sexual offences against children.

David Pickthall, 65, who formerly worked as Head of Music at Brentwood School in Essex and also as a choirmaster in Havering, admitted 37 counts of sexual offences against 19 individuals.

The offences, which took place between 1980 and 2021, include 24 counts of indecent assault, 10 counts of observing a person doing a private act and three counts of making an indecent image of a child. He will now be sentenced on 11th November.

The fact his offending continued for such a long period, right up to 2021, is shocking and an indictment of the lack of support there has been available for survivors of abuse.

During the period when Picthall was an active offender, he was a musician working in television and film. He was even awarded an MBE for “services to education and to charity”. This is a sadly familiar story of an abuser in a position of power being rewarded by the establishment whilst their victims are not listened to. At least Pickthall is now facing justice whilst he is still alive – even if it arrives far too late for many whom he abused.

This firm has previously led a campaign for Peter Sherwin, an officer in the sea cadets, to be stripped of his MBE – you can read more about that campaign here . More than 40 survivors made allegations of child sexual abuse against him and Bolt Burdon Kemp led the campaign on behalf of our clients.

My thoughts are with all survivors, including those who have been strong enough to disclose their experiences to the police. I know from my clients’ experiences in similar situations the criminal process itself is a difficult and emotional process but hopefully they will feel some measure of vindication and justice once Pickthall is sentenced.

Their experience of abuse of course will not simply end once Pickthall is sentenced – they will have to live with the consequences of his abusive and selfish actions for the rest of their lives. A civil claim for compensation can enable survivors to access funding for therapy and losses as a result of abuse they have experienced.

Anyone who has suffered abuse can contact me directly for free, no-obligation, advice about their rights.

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