British Double Bassist Duncan McTier Charged with Sexual Assault of 3 Former Students

Internationally-renowned double-bassist, Duncan McTier has today pleaded guilty, in a British Court, to the sexual assault of three former students.

The Liverpool Crown Court has heard Mr McTier groped a 21 year old female student in 1994 and a 23 year old female student in 1988 and attempted to grope a 17 year old female student in 1985 – whilst on faculty at Britain's Royal Northern College of Music and the Purcell School.

McTier was suspended from London's Royal Academy of Music, after being charged in May with the offences – but continues to serve teaching positions at the Zurich University of the Arts and the Escuela Superior de Musica Reina Sofia, in Madrid.

A statement issued today by the Royal Academy of Music has read: 'In May 2014 Duncan McTier was charged by police regarding historical cases of sexual abuse in Manchester before his employment at the Royal Academy of Music. During his bail Duncan McTier was placed on a precautionary suspension from duty at the Academy. He has now resigned from the Academy with immediate effect.'

McTier has been handed down a three-month fully-suspended jail sentence, in relation to the offences – and has been ordered to do 240 hours of community service.

He is one of four former music teachers from the Royal Northern College of Music and the Chetham's School of Music to be charged in recent months with the historic sexual abuse of pupils.