Oct 2010

Paedophile’s victims urged to speak out

Police have encouraged victims of a paedophile choirmaster who lived in Surbiton to break their silence and speak to officers about his crimes.

Paedophile’s victims urged to speak out

Cellist Roger Lunn fondled boys during private music lessons between 1970 and 1989 – while living in Surbiton and later Haywards Heath.

The 71-year-old father-of-two admitted at Cambridge Crown Court on September 24, indecent assault on three boys but was spared jail.

Allegations were also made against him while he was teaching at a Kingston school which he later admitted in a letter to the school’s head, the court heard.

One of the victim’s sisters, who has not yet seen justice for her brother, described Lunn as a “dangerous, predatory paedophile”.

She said: “Everybody thought he was wonderful, but he was definitely grooming back then.

“I’ve lived with this for 30 years, praying there were no other people, and it has been hard to know that there were others.

“He came from a very religious family and he was so respectable that everybody felt lucky to have such an distinguished choir master.

“I feel very passionate that people who have been keeping this in for years either go to the police or seek help from somebody like the National Association of People Abused in Childhood.”

A Kingston police spokesman said: “We would always encourage the victims of abuse to come forward and speak to police, no matter how long ago the offences happened.

“They will be listened to, allegations investigated and their wishes respected.”

Lunn, who was a member of the London Symphony Orchestra, also used to teach cello from his Surbiton home, before moving to Haywards Heath. He now lives in Ely, Cambridgeshire.

The court heard that Lunn, a widower, abused three boys aged between five and 12, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

He was arrested last year when the grown up victims broke their silence and reported him to police.

Prosecutor Maryam Syed said the boys had made allegations about Lunn in 1969, when he was teaching at a Kingston school, which cannot be named for legal reasons.

Lunn wrote a confession letter to the school’s head in which he admitted fondling but denied unnatural sexual intercourse, the court heard.

Lunn’s name was then added to List 99 – a Government list which contained the names of teachers banned from working with children – but he was not convicted.

The court was told that just a few months after his name was added to the list, he abused a boy receiving cello lessons from him in Surbiton.

Continued from front page Lunn was involved with the Tolworth United Reform Church in the 70s, based on the corner of Raeburn and Elgar Avenues, although it used to be called the Congregational Church.

In court he was described as a “deeply religious man” who used to take children from the church on trips.

But one church member, who asked not to be named, said he only took children to church on a Sunday to sing songs, and had no contact with them at other times.

She said: “I am absolutely positive nothing happened at the church. It was such a long time ago and such a long time since he was involved with the church.”

His family was heavily involved with the church, and it is believed his father was an organist there.

Defence barrister James Mason said Lunn was a brilliant cellist who had enjoyed a distinguished career, playing with some of the world’s leading orchestras, and famous chellist Jacqueline du Pre.

He added Lunn was a model husband and father, but the court heard the widower still posed a risk to children.

Peter Saunders, chief executive of National Association of People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), encouraged any more victims of Roger Lunn not to be afraid to speak out.

He said: “The guy could have had more victims than the ones that came forward and, having spoken to thousands of survivors over the years, I can say that seeing the abuser brought to justice can be a huge step forward for people that have been burying it, because child abuse lives with you for the rest of your life.

“It pains me when I hear of these diversory sentences being handed out.

“The most important thing is he is not allowed to re- offend and by publicising this, it will help other victims come forward and speak out, and that will emphasise to the authorities that they need to protect these people from harm.”

Judge Jonathan Haworth said he considered imposing a jail term but instead decided to impose a three-year probation order with a requirement that Lunn complete a sex offender treatment programme. Mr Saunders said he should also have been tagged for life.

He said: “At 71, he is not an old man in this day and age. We tag kids for quite minor things, but people that can potentially destroy someone’s life, which child abuse does, are put on courses.

“I believe in second chances, except for when it comes to hurting kids because then they will always be in danger.

“People often sweep these things under the carpet. That has always happened, and that is why child abuse still goes on today.”