An 82-year-old former music educator has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a teenager whom he targeted while teaching clarinet sessions during the 1990s.

Keith Allen, who now resides in Sibford Gower close to Banbury, received his sentence at Birmingham Crown Court on June 23 following his conviction for raping a 16-year-old girl.

The offences commenced in Harborne, a suburb of Birmingham, when Allen began targeting the girl at age 15 after inviting her to receive tuition at his residence, with the abuse progressing from inappropriate contact to sexual intercourse.

West Midlands Police launched an investigation after the victim submitted a formal complaint in 2023 against Allen, who had relocated to Oxfordshire once the criminal acts had occurred.

Detective Constable Andrew Jones from West Midlands Police’s Major Crime Team stated that Allen exploited his role as a music instructor to manipulate, sexually assault and rape the young person.

He will now spend years incarcerated where he can contemplate his actions and the damage he has inflicted, Jones said.

The detective further noted that he wished to thank the courageous woman who chose to report what Allen had done to her during her childhood.

She has shown remarkable bravery throughout both the investigation and court proceedings, he added.