Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
Eliza Carthy, an internationally acclaimed musician, found herself increasingly distressed by constant late-night messages disrupting her sleep. Despite the demands of her career and the responsibility of caring for her elderly father, Martin Carthy—an iconic folk singer and 2025 Mercury Prize nominee—Eliza’s phone continued to receive unwanted communications. What began as a seemingly innocent interaction with a fellow performer on Facebook swiftly soured into something deeply troubling.
The individual behind the messages was Ben Gunnery, a 46-year-old accomplished violinist from Vauxhall, London, known for his global performances. According to Carthy, Gunnery sent her numerous explicit images and videos, including content of himself masturbating. Sometimes he removed these messages, other times he left them visible, mixing these with clips of his performances at prestigious venues like the Albert Hall. “He would just send reams and reams and reams of pictures of himself naked and videos of himself masturbating,” Carthy recounted.
BBC investigations have since uncovered that Gunnery’s inappropriate behaviour extends far beyond Carthy. At least six other women, many involved in the music industry, have come forward with allegations against him. Gunnery initially approached Carthy in June 2024 by praising her musical abilities on Facebook, but his messages quickly turned explicit and overwhelming. Carthy described the relentless harassment, stating, “The mania of him transferred to me in my bed at night. Buzz, buzz, buzz, you can’t sleep and you can’t ignore it and you just want it to go away.” The court also heard that Gunnery sent videos showing himself engaging in sexual acts with women who seemed unaware they were being recorded.
Further inquiry revealed that Gunnery’s pattern of misconduct spans over a decade. One woman, using the pseudonym Jenny, recalled reporting him to the police in 2017 after receiving indecent images. Although she did not proceed with prosecution, the experience severely impacted her career, as she faced backlash and professional exclusion while Gunnery continued to be hired. Organisers of a French music festival, where Gunnery performed and taught in 2017 and 2018, recounted banning him after a private student reported receiving explicit messages. They subsequently established a safeguarding team to prevent future incidents. Another musician reported receiving over 50 explicit messages from Gunnery between 2021 and 2023, which he frequently deleted. Additionally, a man who confronted Gunnery nearly ten years ago stated, “He’s been doing this for years. He’s lied to everybody left, right and centre.”
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.