Teenage victim of Peterborough music teacher speaks of depression after he is jailed for sex offence

A former Peterborough music school pupil has spoken out after her former guitar teacher was jailed for sexual offences against her.

Natasha Richardson (20) has bravely waived her right to anonymity after Charlie Heath was jailed for nine months.

Natasha, who lives in Wisbech, was just 15 years old when Heath took advantage of her when she was studying at the Breve school in the city.

She said: “I first started at Breve when I was 14. I was learning how to play the acoustic and electric guitar. But it started when I was 15. He wanted to see me outside of lesson times. He would email me all the time, and constantly contact me. He was 10 years older than me, and I was underage and quite vulnerable.

“There was an abuse of power, he used that power he had.”

Natasha said that her lessons included one on one sessions, as well as group sessions.

She said that despite Heath knowing the age difference between the pair, they ended up in a ‘relationship.’

She said: “He was the one who said it was official that we were together. There was some sexual things when I was underage. It was my first relationship, and I felt uncomfortable with what was happening. I said to him that I was so young. It was really difficult because of my age.

“It felt very inappropriate. But I was so confused. It all happened so fast. When he first asked if we could be together, I said ‘I don’t know.’ He would play with my mind, and guilt trip me.”

The effect of what was happening led Natasha to have mental health issues, going to a therapist to get help.

She said: “Last year, in February, I had been going to therapy for six months. I’d suffered from severe depression, and had suicidal thoughts.

“One day I opened up to her about what happened. I was still seeing him every weekend. But I realised I couldn’t any more. After I told the therapist, I told him that it was over,

“A couple of weeks later we contacted the police.

“The police were really good. It was very hard to give every ounce of detail. It was like I went through the trauma I had experienced I had to re-live. It was a bit like grieving.”

Heath was jailed at Cambridge Crown Court earlier this month.

Natasha said she had been unable to attend, as she didn’t want to see him again - but the conclusion of the court process had helped her.

She said: “It has lifted a huge weight off my mind. I know what has happened now - I can move on and be myself.

“I am getting back to who I used to be. I am still on anti-depressants, but it is getting better.

I stopped playing guitar for a while, but I am now playing again and doing gigs. I stopped as it was hard not to associate music with what had happened, and it would trigger me. But it is my own thing again now.

“I have lots of support from my mum and dad, and I’ve got lots of friends - they know what has happened, and have been very supportive.”

After going through the court proceedings, Natasha had a message to others who may feel they are in a similar situation.

She said: “It is so important to tell someone. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t right. You can become isolated. Just tell someone what is happening, and you can get help.”

Heath, 29, of Main Road, Cannington, Bridgwater, Somerset, pleaded guilty to being a person aged 18 or over in a position of trust in relation to a girl aged 15 and not reasonably believing she was aged 18 or over, intentionally touched her and the touching was sexual.

Along with the jail sentence, he was placed on the Sex Offenders Register and made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for 10 years