A music teacher has been accused of sending obscene mail.

The teacher at Christ's Hospital School, Horsham, faces two charges under the Protection of Harassment Act 1997 and ten charges of sending abusive or indecent articles through the post. He will also be in court on a drink driving charge.

The school confirmed Peter Brownlie had stopped teaching while he awaited the outcome of court proceedings but refused to say whether or not he had been suspended. Brownlie is due to appear at Horsham Magistrates' Court on Tuesday to answer the charges.

The harassment charges against Brownlie say that between March 7 and 15 he made 15 nuisance telephone calls to a number in Southwater, near Horsham, and between March 1998 and March of this year he sent obscene or grossly offensive letters at intervals to an undisclosed address.

Brownlie, 38, has been at the school for seven years. A father of two, he is the school's head of brass, and lives on site at King Edward Close.

In a statement the school said: "Christ's Hospital is aware that a male teacher is assisting police with an investigation into allegations of harassment made by a woman. The allegations do not involve any pupil or other member of staff and do not arise from the teacher's work.

"The headmaster will decide if any action by the school is necessary when further information on the investigation is available."

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