Peter Burness, former music teacher, jailed for sexually assaulting a pupil | Bolt Burdon Kemp Peter Burness, former music teacher, jailed for sexually assaulting a pupil | Bolt Burdon Kemp

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Peter Burness, former music teacher, jailed for sexually assaulting a pupil

Peter Burness, a former joint Head of Music at St James’ Church and King Edward VI Grammar School in Louth, was recently sentenced to six years in prison for sexually abusing a child.

Burness, who is now 84 years old, was convicted by Lincoln Crown Court on six counts of indecent assault of a male in the 1970s. He came into contact with his victim at the choir at St James’ Church in Louth. Burness denied all charges when brought before the Court.

Commenting on the sentence, Detective Chief Inspector Reid Martin said that Burness “took a calculated advantage from a position of trust over a child”.

Speaking to the press Stephen Conway, Acting Bishop of Lincoln, encouraged anyone who may have been affected by sexual assaults by Burness or by any other similar cases to come forward.

Bolt Burdon Kemp have successfully represented many clients in cases against schools and religious institutions.

In 2012 Bolt Burdon Kemp assisted Naomi, who was abused by a music teacher at a school in Cambridgeshire, to obtain £550,000 in compensation in relation to the assaults that she was subjected to. Another client represented by Bolt Burdon Kemp, Ms T, who was abused by a music teacher at the Corsham School in Wiltshire received £130,000 in compensation in relation to the harm she has suffered.

Many survivors of sexual abuse are not able to speak for many years about what happened to them in the past. If you or your family member has been a victim of historic sexual assault please contact our Abuse team for further confidential advice.

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