Suicide of Chetham's victim 'could have been prevented'

The serious case review following the death of Frances Andrade recommended for the Home Secretary and College of Policing to be asked to develop guidelines on how to share information across forces when dealing with historic abuse cases.

Read: Music schools create 'backdrop for potent grooming'

Managerial oversight and professional supervision of cases involving childhood abuse victims should be provided in the police force, medical profession and mental health services, it also recommended.

Responding to the findings, Greater Manchester Police's public protection division, said:

Surrey Police said they accepted that "more must be done" to recognise the needs of vulnerable people in historic child abuse cases and has since "identified improvements" to its information-recording practices, as well as issuing further guidance on pre-trial therapy and support.

Music schools, ballet schools and drama courses, create a "backdrop" of "very particular and potent form of grooming," Surrey Safeguarding Adults Board said in its serious case review findings today.

"The adults around them, who are often prominent performers in their own right, are invested with exceptional power and influence and are in a position of trust from which they exert considerable leverage over whether their pupils achieve success in their chosen fields," the report said.

It described such institutions as "hothousing establishments".

Former Chetham's School of Music pupil Frances Andrade committed suicide last year, days after giving evidence against Michael Brewer, a former music director at the prestigious school in Manchester.

Brewer and his ex-wife Kay, were subsequently convicted of indecently assaulting Mrs Andrade when she was 18.

The report went on: "Chetham's School provided an ideal environment for this kind of abuse to occur. The school seemed unaware of the risks of sexual abuse and it does not appear to have proactively promoted a child protection agenda."

The report's panel said "boundaries were blurred" and some staff appeared to act at times "with impunity".

Teachers were placed in an "exclusive and powerful" position over their proteges amid an atmosphere of elite performance, it added.

Professional services who were responsible for the care of Frances Andrade - referred to in the the serious case review as Mrs A - were "found wanting" in a number of ways, the report said.

Concluding the 48-year-old's suicide was one that could have been prevented, the report noted that the violinist "had reasons to live and she continued to ask for help throughout this period."

A serious case review by Surrey Safeguarding Adults Board into the suicide of violinist Frances Andrade, who killed herself days after giving evidence against a former music teacher, called for these improvements:

• Criminal justice professionals to offer better support to sex abuse survivors and recognise their "vulnerability" when facing their abusers in court
• Provide expert witness testimony in court to explain to jurors how childhood sex abuse can affect people

• Judges "should be proactive" when they consider a witness is vulnerable by introducing special measures, even when they have refused them

• Mental health services to increase their alertness to the fall-out of sexual exploitation and the risks of suicide and self-harm
• Media to be "mindful of the way a person's mental health and their credibility are discussed throughout court proceedings."

A serious case review said Frances Andrade was "let down" by mental health services who did not put proper care measures and adequate risk assessments in place as shemade increasingly serious suicide bids.

Support services failed to realise how vulnerable the 48-year-old violinist was as she fought to bring former music director Michael Brewer to justice, the report noted.

The report said Ms Andrade exhibited different mental states, appearing competent and assured at times, and vulnerable and in despair at other moments.

Her apparent confidence should not have undermined the intensive support she was offered, the report said.

A serious case review into the suicide of a woman during a sexual assault trial has found her death could have been prevented.

Frances Andrade killed herself after giving evidence against Michael Brewer - her violin teacher who abused her while she was a student at Chetham's School of Music.

A report by Surrey Safeguarding Adults Board said: "The Panel considered that this was a suicide that could and should have been prevented. Mrs A had reasons to live and she continued to ask for help throughout this period.

"We therefore invite all the agencies concerned to take real and concrete steps towards improving their practice."