Former music teacher Vincent Gordon Edwards, an 87-year-old who now lives in South East NSW, was placed on bail. Photo: Albert McKnight.
CONTENT WARNING: This article refers to alleged sexual assault.
A former music teacher accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a child in Canberra decades ago has faced court for the first time.
Vincent Gordon Edwards, an 87-year-old from South East NSW, was placed on bail when he faced the ACT Magistrates Court this week because he had allegedly been contacting potential witnesses in the matter.
A woman approached police earlier this year and alleged she was sexually assaulted multiple times when she was in primary school and attending violin lessons in the late 1980s and early 1990s, an ACT Policing spokesperson previously said.
It is alleged these lessons took place at what was known as the Canberra School of Music, the Canberra Institute of the Arts and the Australian National University’s School of Music.
Police interviewed Mr Edwards at his home in September before he was issued a summons to appear in the Magistrates Court.
Magistrate Amy Begley said she would not read his 20 charges to him when he faced court for the first time on Thursday (23 October) due to their volume.
Vincent Gordon Edwards tries to avoid being photographed outside the courts today. Photo: Albert McKnight.
While he was originally summonsed to court, which means he was not placed on bail, the prosecutor applied for him to be put on bail.
She wanted his bail conditions to include him not contacting or approaching a number of witnesses outlined in court documents. His defence lawyers consented to this application.
The court heard there was new evidence alleging that Mr Edwards had been contacting numerous people, including former colleagues who may have been witnesses, and providing them with information about the allegations against him.
Magistrate Begley was satisfied that these allegations indicated a risk of him interfering with witnesses’ evidence and placed him on bail with agreed conditions.
Mr Edwards has been handed seven counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 10, 11 counts of committing an act of indecency involving a child under 10 and single counts of sexual intercourse with a child under 16, as well as committing an act of indecency involving a child under 16.
The matter was adjourned to December. No pleas were entered.
If this story has raised any concerns for you, 1800RESPECT, the national 24-hour sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line, can be contacted on 1800 737 732. Help and support are also available through the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre on 02 6247 2525, the Domestic Violence Crisis Service ACT 02 6280 0900, the Sexual Violence Legal Services on 6257 4377 and Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call Triple Zero.
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