Portsmouth abuse survivor wins six-figure settlement after being exploited by teacher and choirmaster Mark Burgess

While a child, the student was systematically groomed, sexually abused and exploited by Burgess over a number of years. His lawyers say the abuse has caused him lasting psychological harm, particularly affecting his interpersonal relationships and his career progress.

NOW READ: Survivors of Mark Burgess tell of ‘Fagin’s den’ of abuse

In 2021, Burgess was sentenced to 40 years in prison following convictions for 48 counts of child abuse against 13 children between the early 1970s and 2000. The children included the former pupil, now in his 40s, who bravely gave evidence at the trial and as a result has lifelong anonymity. At the sentencing hearing the judge praised the bravery of the victims for coming forward to make sure justice was served and for being open about the crimes that had been committed.

After the case at Portsmouth Crown Court, Hampshire police’s Det Insp Adam Edwards said: ‘Burgess made a choice to exploit his position and manipulate certain scenarios that would give him the opportunity to carry out these heinous and evil acts. These were young children, and he deliberately preyed on their naivety for his own sordid agenda.’

Represented by the abuse team at Leigh Day, the former pupil has now secured a substantial six-figure settlement from City of Portsmouth Boys’ School and All Saints Church, Portsea where Burgess was a teacher and choirmaster.

The case included a detailed loss of earnings claim arising from the impact of the abuse. The details of the civil settlement are confidential.

The former pupil said: ‘The abuse team understood how difficult this process is emotionally, and provided excellent, straightforward advice throughout. The result was excellent and, for me, provided an important measure of justice and closure.’

Leigh Day partner Alison Millar, who heads the abuse team, said: ‘We are pleased to have concluded our client’s civil case for a sum that reflects the severity of the abuse by Mark Burgess which has caused lasting psychological consequences for our client and impacted his wider life, in particular his relationships. Whilst no amount of compensation can of course ever make up for childhood abuse, we are pleased that this settlement will deliver a measure of accountability for our client from the institutions which failed to safeguard him and many other children from Burgess’s despicable behaviour which took place over many years.’

Speaking after the court case, one of the survivors said: ‘Mark's legacy should be one of being an inspirational music teacher. Instead it will be one of being a conniving exploitative serial paedophile spanning 40 years.’

Last September Burgess had his prison sentence reduced to 31 years from 40 years after it was ruled to be ‘not just’. Judges from the Court of Appeal found the original sentencing ‘manifestly excessive’ and said that the sentencing judge failed properly to adjust the individual sentences to reach a proportionate total.

However, Burgess had previously lost an appeal to overturn his conviction.

The dioceses of Portsmouth and Chichester launched a joint independent ‘lessons learned’ review into the case, which was to be commissioned by the national Church of England’s safeguarding team.