Harpist loses appeal over conviction for sexual assault on boy
A “WORLD-FAMOUS” harpist jailed for sexually abusing a schoolboy in the 1980s has lost a bid to challenge her conviction.
Danielle Perrett, who has performed for the Queen and several Prime Ministers, also failed to persuade Court of Appeal judges yesterday that her prison sentence of four years and nine months was “manifestly excessive”.
Lord Justice Coulson, sitting with Mrs Justice Cutts and Judge Paul Thomas QC, described her application to appeal against conviction as “hopeless”.
Perrett, now 60, was jailed in February last year.
She was sentenced alongside her ex-fiance, Richard BartonWood, 68, for separately indecently assaulting the boy while he was in his early teens.
They both denied all charges but were convicted following a four-week trial at Ipswich Crown Court in Suffolk.
Perrett, of Bridge Street, Alpheton, Suffolk, was found guilty by a jury of six counts of indecent assault.
Barton-Wood, of Church
Street, Wymondham, Norfolk, was found guilty of seven counts of indecent assault and of one count of attempted indecent assault.
He was also sentenced to four years and nine months.
Their victim, now an adult, told jurors that Barton-Wood had worked as a substitute teacher at his school. He said Barton-Wood sexually assaulted him on sailing and camping trips, and that on separate occasions Perrett took his virginity and performed sex acts on him.