Choirmaster to appeal

Shamed choirmaster Michael Brewer, who was music director at Chetham's School of Music in Manchester, is appealing against his six-year prison sentence for indecently assaulting a former pupil.

Brewer was jailed in March after he was convicted of child sex offences against Frances Andrade, who took her life at her home during his trial.

It later emerged that Brewer, 68, had been stripped of his OBE awarded for services to music in December 1994.

His challenge is being heard by the Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge, sitting with two other judges at the Court of Appeal in London.

He is not due to attend the hearing.