Music teacher who raped and indecently assaulted schoolgirls jailed

A music teacher who raped and indecently assaulted pupils in his care has been jailed.

Peter Antonelli carried out the attacks on six girls while he worked at three schools in East Lothian between 1980 and 2005.

The offences took place there, at his home during private tuition and at a musical theatre group he organised.

The 66-year-old was convicted of nine charges, including rape, indecent assault and lewd and libidinous conduct following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh last month.

The court heard the piano teacher groomed the children in his care by taking indecent photographs of them, making sexual remarks and indecently touching them.

Antonelli, from East Lothian, raped one victim on a number of occasions and indecently assaulted another.

On Wednesday he was jailed for eight years and placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offences Fraser Gibson said: “Peter Antonelli took advantage of his position as a teacher to prey on young girls.

“His actions have had a lasting impact on the lives of his victims and I hope the sentence imposed helps provide some resolution for them.

“He was caught and prosecuted thanks to their courage and the thorough and specialist work carried out by police and our expert prosecutors.

“I would encourage anyone who has been the victim of such offending, whenever it occurred, to come forward and seek support.”