Man charged with further non-recent child sex offences related to choirs in Hampshire & Sussex

A man from Portsmouth has been charged with further non-recent sex offences against children.

Mark Burgess, aged 66 years, of St Chads Avenue in Hilsea, was initially charged on 3 February this year with 58 counts of offences including indecent assault, gross indecency with a child, inciting sexual activity with a child, and sexual touching.

This week, detectives from Hampshire Constabulary’s Operation Marmion team charged him with a further 15 offences against an additional two victims, bringing the total up to 73 offences.

The offences relate to 13 children in total, who were under the age of 16, during Burgess’s time as a choirmaster for the All Saints church choir in Portsmouth, and Westbourne Choir in Sussex between 1975 and 2009.

Mr Burgess was bailed to appear at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on 23 July.

We would encourage anyone who has been a victim of child sexual abuse to contact police on 101 where you can speak with our specialist detectives in confidence.

Alternatively, contact Childline on 0800 11 11, or if you are an adult who has concerns about a child, you can call the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000.