Chetham's indecent assaults: Conductor pleads guilty

A conductor has pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting a teenage girl at a music school in Manchester.

Nicholas Smith, 59, of Malestroit, France, carried out the assaults on a pupil at Chetham's School of Music between 1976 and 1978, police said.

He was arrested by detectives investigating historical sexual abuse at music schools in Manchester.

Smith is due to be sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on 1 September.

Fran Gough, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Nicholas Smith was a conductor of several orchestras which put him in contact with young musicians.

"He abused his position of trust to groom and abuse the young girl, who looked up to him."