Choirmaster charged with over 70 sex offences.

Former West Sussex choirmaster charged with over 70 sex offences against children.

On the 3rd February 2020, Mark Burgess, 66, from Hilsea, Portsmouth was charged with 58 counts of offences that included buggery, indecent assault, gross indecency with a child and inciting sexual activity with a child.

The offenses took place when Burgess was working as a choirmaster for Westbourne Choir in Chichester and All Saints Choir in Portsmouth between 1976 and 2009.

In April 2020, detectives from Hampshire Constabulary’s Operation Marmion team charged Burgess with a further 15 offences, bringing the total number of offences up to 73. 

The recent charges relate to 13 children in total, who were under the age or 16 during their time at All Saints Church Choir, Portsmouth and Westbourne Choice in West Sussex.

Mr Burgess has been bailed and will appear in court on the 23rd July. 

Legal advice for abuse survivors

Verisona Law can advise abuse survivors within a number of different settings, including abuse occurring in local choirs.

If you, or a loved one, has been affected by child abuse, please get in touch with us, and one of our highly experienced, award winning lawyers will be able to talk to you about whether it is possible to bring you justice and redress

You can contact us in confidence via our secure webform, or email Lisa Gafarov directly at lisa.gafarov@verisonalaw.com.