Convicted sex abuser from Suffolk seeks appeal

14 February 2019, 07:36 | Updated: 14 February 2019, 07:42

A "world-famous" harpist from Suffolk jailed for sexually abusing a schoolboy in the 1980s is to have her case reviewed by leading judges.

Danielle Perrett, who has performed for the Queen and several prime ministers, will seek the go-ahead to challenge both her conviction and sentence at a Court of Appeal hearing in London later.

Perrett, 59, was handed a prison term of four years and nine months in February last year.

She was sentenced alongside her ex-fiance Richard Barton-Wood, 68, for separately indecently assaulting the boy while he was in his early teens.

They both denied all charges but were convicted following a four-week trial at Ipswich Crown Court in Suffolk.

Perrett, of Bridge Street, Alpheton, was found guilty by a jury of six counts of indecent assault.

Barton-Wood, of Church Street, Wymondham, Norfolk, was found guilty of seven counts of indecent assault and of one count of attempted indecent assault.

He was also sentenced to four years and nine months.

Their victim, now an adult, told jurors that Barton-Wood had worked as a substitute teacher at his school.

He said Barton-Wood sexually assaulted him on sailing and camping trips, and that on separate occasions Perrett took his virginity and performed sex acts on him.

Judge Rupert Overbury told Perrett and Barton-Wood when sentencing them: "Your reputations are now in tatters and Miss Perrett's notoriety will be of a very different nature than a world-famous harpist."

Perrett will have her applications for permission to appeal against conviction and sentence heard by Lord Justice Coulson, Mrs Justice Cutts and Judge Paul Thomas QC.