Former Dundee teacher facing jail over indecent images

A teacher sacked from a Dundee school after he was found with indecent photos of young boys is facing jail - after he was found with another stash of images.

Published 2nd Feb 2016

A teacher sacked from a Dundee school after he was found with indecent photos of young boys is facing jail - after he was found with another stash of images.

Robert Lightband - who was previously a senior history teacher at Dundee's Menzieshill High School - avoided a jail term in 2002 when he was found with a folder filled with nude images of young boys.

But now Lightband - who advertises himself online as a semi-retired organist, organ consultant and organ teacher - could face prison after he was caught downloading indecent images over the course of a nine-month period in 2014 and 2015.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard he had been "taking or making" the sick pics over a period between June 16 2014 and February 25 last year.

Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson said Lightband - who is also listed online as an "organ adviser" for the Church of Scotland - had one previous conviction, his earlier child porn offence.

Lightband, 69, of Dundee, pleaded guilty on indictment to a charge of taking or making indecent photographs of children between June 16 2014 and February 25 2015.

John Boyle, defending, said: "He is currently subject to stringent bail conditions regarding his internet use and that is causing him difficulties.

"Before he was charged he did his shopping and banking online and he has had to rely on the goodwill of friends to help.

"He expects there will be Press coverage of this case and he would like to keep a low profile so asks that the condition stopping him using the internet is lifted."

Sheriff Alistair Carmichael deferred sentence until next week for the Crown to provide a full narrative of the facts of the case.

He said: "In light of the plea and his previous conviction I will not remove the bail condition."

Lightband was sacked from Menzieshill High School and his civic role as Dundee's official organist after his previous stash came to light in 2002.

The photos were discovered by a cleaner who stumbled on the folder on a bedroom dresser as she worked.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard she found a folder containing between 80-90 indecent images, mainly of boys aged 12 to 14.

Fiscal Keith O'Mahony said the cleaner was so disturbed she told her husband and they contacted the police.

When officers searched his house, Lightband denied all knowledge of the snaps.

But he eventually directed them to a cupboard where the folder was found.