London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 19, 2026

Chetham's School of Music 'facilitated sexual abuse of pupil'

Chetham's School of Music 'facilitated sexual abuse of pupil'

A prestigious music school has said it will "remain forever sorry" after a High Court judge found the institution "facilitated" the sexual abuse of a former pupil by one of her teachers.

Chetham's School of Music (CSM) was ordered to pay £45,000 to the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

It comes after a judge found the school was "vicariously liable" for assaults by her violin teacher, Wen Zhou Li.

The woman alleged she was assaulted at the school in Manchester in the 1990s.

Mr Li, who denies the allegations, was previously charged with one count of rape and two counts of indecent assault but charges were dropped when prosecutors offered no evidence in 2016.

The woman, known by the pseudonym "Abigail", then brought a civil claim against the school.


Following a hearing in March, Mr Justice Fordham found the assaults took place to the civil standard and that CSM "created or significantly enhanced" the risk she would be abused.

The civil standard requires a court to find it was more likely that an allegation is true as opposed to the criminal standard which requires a jury to be sure, also known as beyond reasonable doubt.

The judge found there was a "strong causative link" between Mr Li's employment by CSM and his sexual assaults.

He said: "The employment relationship between CSM and Mr Li caused Mr Li to have access to Abigail, in circumstances where sexual abuse was facilitated.

Following the ruling, CSM said it "carries a sense of deep regret and sorrow for the way in which some former teachers at our school betrayed and manipulated the trust that had been placed in them".

The school's former music director Michael Brewer was jailed in 2013 after he was convicted of indecently assaulting a former pupil in the 1980s.

CSM said it was supporting the ongoing independent inquiry into child sexual abuse to "share lessons learnt from our experiences".

The spokesman continued: "Chetham's today is a place where care for student wellbeing is our number one priority."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Iran Claims It Destroyed Bahrain’s Main Artificial Intelligence Center in Missile and Drone Strike
Brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate Who Turned "Toxic Masculinity" Into a Brand Arrested in Miami as Britain Seeks Their Extradition
Trump Administration Pressures Banks to Restrict Financial Access for Undocumented Immigrants
Passenger Bound for Germany Refused to Sit Beside a Woman on a Plane — Then Slapped a Flight Attendant
Ukraine’s Leadership Rift Spills Into the Streets as Protesters Target Army Chief
Ukrainian Drone Barrage Kills Eight and Strikes Russian Logistics Network
Key Trends to Watch
Financial Conduct Authority Warns Cloud and Digital Risks Are Becoming a Financial Priority
Jeffrey Donaldson Appeals Sexual Abuse Conviction as Democratic Unionist Party Opens Review
Welsh Health Authorities Launch Emergency Meningitis Vaccination Programme for Students
Scottish Business Activity Falls for Third Month as Companies Face Rising Costs
Bank of England Regulators Demand Better Access to Digital Banking Services
United Kingdom Cuts Bilateral Aid to Several African Countries by Up to Ninety Per Cent
United Kingdom Introduces Tougher Deportation Rules After Rochdale Exploitation Scandal
NHS England Launches Wearable Technology Plan to Reduce Sepsis Deaths
Amazon Web Services Billing Error Sends Trillion-Dollar Invoices to British Companies
Bank of England Takes Direct Regulatory Role Over Major Global Cloud Providers
Extreme Summer Heat Drives Record Fire Risk and Rising Deaths Across Britain
United Kingdom Nationalisation of British Steel Sparks Diplomatic Dispute With China
United Kingdom Economy Shows Weak Growth Ahead of Major Autumn Budget
Andy Burnham Set to Become United Kingdom Prime Minister After Labour Leadership Victory
The Ten World Cup Finals That Defined Football History
Smartphones Are Getting More Expensive, Sales Are Collapsing, and Even Apple Admits: "Prices Will Rise"
The Monaco Bombing Has Become a Test of Ukraine’s Intelligence Accountability
Leadership Change and Strategic Rivalry Redraw the Political Map
Energy Risk, Uneven Growth and the New Geography of Global Capital
The AI Race Enters Its Infrastructure Era
Security and resilience remain long-term national priorities
Britain balances growth ambitions with public finance pressures
Regional devolution becomes a defining theme of the next Labour era
Industrial strategy returns to the centre of British economic policy
Political Instability Remains a Challenge for UK Investment Confidence
Brexit Economic Debate Continues as Public Concerns Over Long-Term Impact Remain
UK Climate Risks Rise as Met Office Warns Extreme Weather Is Becoming More Common
Housing Shortages and Regional Inequality Become Key Priorities Under Incoming Labour Leadership
National Health Service Reform Remains One of Britain’s Biggest Political Challenges
Bank of England Remains at Centre of UK Economic Debate Over Inflation and Growth
UK Economy Shows Recovery Signs but Households and Businesses Remain Under Pressure
Britain Deepens European Defence Cooperation as NATO Allies Seek Stronger Security Capabilities
United Kingdom Expands Sanctions Against Russian Cyber Networks Over Security Threats
UK Industrial Strategy Faces Test After Government Takes Control of British Steel
British Businesses Seek Policy Clarity as Andy Burnham Prepares to Lead Labour Government
Andy Burnham’s Labour Leadership Signals Major Shift Toward Regional Power and Devolution
British Steel Nationalisation Creates New UK-China Tensions Over Control of Strategic Industry
For 36 Years, He Scammed About 300 Luxury Hotels — Until He Was Caught
England's World Cup Exit Expected to Cost Hospitality and Retail £334 Million
Former ICC Prosecutor Aide Speaks Publicly About Allegations Against Karim Khan
Opposition Raises Questions Over June Heatwave Power Grid Pressures
Mastercard Explores Sale of Majority Stake in UK Payments Operator Vocalink
Boeing Forecasts Global Commercial Aircraft Fleet Will Double by 2045
×