'The worst case of child abuse that is possible to imagine'

Brian Davey, 67, of Milton, Cambridgeshire, was known as one of Britain's top recorder teachers setting up private clubs for talented young musicians across Buckinghamshire and the south east.

The serial paedophile also taught at schools, including Butlers Court in Wattleton Road, Beaconsfield where he held weekly afternoon lessons from 1979 until 1987.

Davey was jailed on Friday, MArch 10, at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London for molesting 11 girls. His victims were aged as young as four.

The court heard how Davey nicknamed these victims his "special girls" and took them into cupboards to abuse them.

He would even molest the girls while they sat on his knee as he played the piano.

In one case he told one of his victims, who was only seven at the time, that if she told anyone about him her ill mother would die.

Davey even abused his own stepdaughter Antoinette Lyons, now 32.

She was just seven-years-old when her ordeal began. Davey pleaded guilty to 11 counts of indecency with a child, 15 counts of indecent assault and one count of attempted rape. All of these crimes took place between 1971 and 1984.

Judge Inigo Bing said: "The way in which the offences came to be committed was cynical, calculated and planned grooming of young children to satisfy your perverted lust.

"In my opinion, this is about the worst case of child abuse that is possible to imagine."

Judge Inigo Bing banned Davey from working with children and also ordered him to register as a sex offender for life.

Davey's stepdaughter, Ms Lyons, has chosen to waive her anonymity to help encourage more former pupils who may also have been abused by him to come forward.

She was a pupil at Butlers Court School and went on to study at Beaconsfield High School, before training as a teacher. She now lives and works in Cambridgeshire and has two children.

Speaking after the sentencing, she said: "I feel justice has in some way been done and for many people, it is more than we were expecting. But nothing can make up for what has happened."

Davey was arrested last year after an investigation was launched by the Metropolitan Police, following an allegation from a victim who said she was abused by Davey during the 70s.

The court heard how two horrified former pupils went to the police after finding out from the Friends Reunited website that Davey was still teaching.

Further victims were then traced as fresh allegations emerged from a school in Cambridgeshire, where he was teaching until his suspension by the education authority.

Davey was investigated and suspended from Butlers Court School about two decades ago when claims against him were first made.

This week Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC) said that that at the time the school had cause for concern about a child sitting on Davey's lap during a lesson.

But the teacher was later reinstated by the council because of insufficient evidence. The court also heard how Davey continued to teach for another four years, before being arrested again by police. But this second investigation was also halted when the complainant withdrew her allegation. Davey checked himself into the Portman Clinic in London after making limited admissions, but in 1990 social services deemed him to have made sufficient progress to be released.

Ms Lyons said: "I am angry because this man should have been picked up a long time ago and there are clearly more women who were affected by him. I hope that Bucks County Council will carry out a thorough investigation.

"My silence has not helped me and I now feel compelled to speak openly. I hope that others are also able to speak. It really does help."

A spokeswoman for BCC confirmed that an investigation is taking place.

She said: "Buckinghamshire County Council is appalled by the actions of Brian Davey and we send our sympathies to all the families and victims affected. We will be looking at all the evidence surrounding this case and considering whether the county council should be taking any further action."

She added: "We have looked through the social services records now although we are still trying to locate some of the old records as there was no obligation for us to keep them at that time."

James Astbury, headmaster of Butlers Court since 1982, said he only heard about the court case the day before it happened.

He said: "The school community is shocked at the revelations in Friday's trial and our deepest sympathies and concern go out to all the victims and their families."

If you wish to speak to the police, call the child protection team on 0845 850 5505 or you can get confidential advice from the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000