Peter Antonelli: Survivors share horrific accounts of sexual assault

Disclosure: Abused By My Teacher, which aired on BBC One Scotland last night, investigated how Peter Antonelli rose to the top of instrumental music education in East Lothian, receiving an MBE for his services, while raping and abusing girls he taught.

READ MORE: Retired music teacher Peter Antonelli jailed after being found guilty of raping and sexually abusing pupils

Antonelli, 66, of Gullane, was jailed for eight years in December after being convicted on charges of rape, lewd and libidinous conduct, and indecent assault against six victims.

His conviction came after a distinguished 40-year career in music education and amateur dramatics.

Reporter Tamanna Rahman spoke with a number of Antonelli's victims, who told their stories of sexual abuse at the hands of the teacher.

READ MORE: Music teacher Peter Antonelli MBE denies sexual abuse of school girls

Antonelli's abuse of power went on for decades, despite students at Preston Lodge High School coming forward with detailed accounts and complaints of his inappropriate behaviour.

For decades, warning signs were ignored, complaints dismissed and students too scared to go further; the documentary explores the stories of the women who sent Antonelli to prison.

Grace, as she is known in the programme, detailed her abuse, that began in 1979 and continued until 1988.

She was 10 when she began piano lessons with Antonelli and at the age of 14 he began plying her with alcohol.

She said: "He was different from other teachers; he was engaging, had personality, chatty, friendly and had the ability to pull you into conversation."

She explained that during break time, students were encouraged to spend time with him in his classroom in Preston Lodge, which became a place that Antonelli began initiating and instigated sexual conversations with pupils.

Grace said: “We’d speak about sex, boys, swearing.

“The one that really sticks in my head was a conversation about how adult women’s vaginas smelled, compared to young girls. He said adult women’s smelled awful, whereas young girls' smelled better.”

Following the death of Grace’s grandmother, she visited Antonelli on the day of the funeral.

“He told me to take my top off, he then told me to take my bra off while I was still sitting on the piano stool in his mum’s house and other things happened after that. I was about 14,” she said.

“He told me immediately: ‘You canny tell your granda.’ Those were his precise words.

“I felt to blame. I felt like it was my fault and I couldn’t tell anyone, and so I just kept it like a stone in the pit of my stomach.”

From that moment, Grace became Antonelli’s favourite student, and every lesson attended included sexual abuse and rape.

She added: "Every lesson was oral sex. He wanted a young girl performing oral sex on him constantly."

Antonelli's crimes started as early as the 1980s, when a complaint was made against him by an unknown person at Prestonpans Primary School.

Prestonpans Primary School

It would be ignored and his abuse towards children would continue until at least 2005.

Fifteen women gave evidence in court and Antonelli was found guilty of charges against six of them.

Another victim, known only as Emma, said that Antonelli was respected and "loved by everyone", and well-known throughout the county.

Her abuse began when she was just a teenager.

She said: "I was sexually abused by Peter in his home, in the school, in rehearsal spaces and even in an East Lothian Council building.

"There is no moment when I was with him where that really wouldn’t be something that was happening."

She was a piano student with Antonelli for years, adding that she was alienated from other adults after the teacher presented himself as a "kind of father figure".

Preston Lodge High School

At the age of 14, Peter told Emma he was in love with her, proceeding to tell her that “'when adults are in love they kiss, they touch and they have sex', and that’s when the sexual abuse began”.

In 1997, Neil Spencer, a new teacher, arrived at Preston Lodge High School and raised serious concerns with the school.

He said: "I was walking through the school hall and Antonelli was teaching piano to a student.

“He was in a position which immediately as a teacher I felt was inappropriate.

"I saw him leaning over a pupil and his chest and front area was very close to her while he was leaning over her, his hands were on hers, arms across her arms, he was almost enveloping her."

That pupil would be Emma.

He added: "I did a double take and I thought: 'That’s not right.' That’s when I spoke to an older colleague and they told me: 'That’s how you teach music, that’s what Peter does.'”

Mr Spencer said that his concerns were dismissed by the staff member.

He was soon approached by a friend of Emma's who was concerned about the sexual nature of Antonelli and Emma’s relationship.

Mr Spencer said that he then reported the relationship to a senior member of staff. He said: "I was told they would act on it. To my knowledge, nothing happened."

Emma continued: "I was coerced into sexual activity which made me very scared and uncomfortable.

“I was visibly upset throughout it and he would comfort me by saying: ‘You’re doing well, you’re doing great.'"

A spokesperson for East Lothian Council said: “We are shocked and sickened by the offences for which Peter Antonelli has been convicted.

"Although these offences happened many years ago, we are undertaking a review of our safeguarding policies, procedures and systems.

"This will secure continuous improvement and ensure our measures remain as robust as possible.

"We believe this review will provide assurance to families throughout East Lothian.

“The safety and wellbeing of children and young people in East Lothian is our top priority and all staff are required to follow strict reporting and safeguarding procedures. We strive to provide an environment where anyone who witnesses or experiences inappropriate behaviour is supported, and that suitable action is taken.

“Our safeguarding policies and procedures reflect not only our statutory duties and responsibilities, but also our commitment to keeping children and young people safe, in line with national best practice. This includes undertaking appropriate training and committing to professional standards.

“The council operates a whistleblowing policy which ensures that any allegations, past or present, can be brought to the attention of council officers or school staff for the matter to be investigated and escalated as required.

“We take all disciplinary matters extremely seriously and ensure that all protocols and procedures are followed in a timely manner.

“The council can help known survivors by putting them in touch with specialist groups or organisations who can provide practical support.

“We would encourage anyone who has any information in relation to alleged abuse to contact Police Scotland for the matter to be investigated.”