Former Queen's chaplain sent indecent images

Andrew Deuchar was given a two-year community payback order at Jedburgh Sheriff Court

A former chaplain to the late Queen Elizabeth II has been given a community payback order after he admitted sexually communicating with a person posing as 14-year-old boy.

Andrew Deuchar, 70, of Chirnside, pleaded guilty to sending indecent images of himself and a video of a sexual nature on the Kik messaging site.

Jedburgh Sheriff Court heard the intended recipient was someone Deuchar thought was an underage boy in Ireland called Jason.

But it was in fact an adult decoy belonging to an online paedophile hunter group.

Deuchar was given a two-year payback order with supervision and made subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act for a similar period.

Members of the group turned up at his home in the Borders in May where they live-streamed the confrontation.

Deuchar told them: "I made a mistake, I realise that."

Alasdair Fay, prosecuting, told a previous hearing: "The matter was reported to the police.

"During his interview the accused said: 'I am sorry. It was a mistake.' It only happened once.

"The boy had taken the lead and had been the instigator of some things."

Mr Fay said that during the message exchange the man posing as the child said he was just 14 years old.

Sentence had previously been deferred for background reports.

Positive report

Defence lawyer Keith Tuck said a criminal justice social work report on Deuchar was a "positive one."

He continued: "It seems quite clear that the events have given him a great deal of time for reflection.

"He deeply regrets his involvement in such matters and is now on a path to considering the underlying reasons for it.

"It is a serious matter and he understands that."

Deuchar was appointed a chaplain to the late Queen in 2004 when he was a Church of England parish priest in Nottinghamshire.

However, he resigned the post in 2008 when he was accused of inappropriate conduct towards a female parishioner.

Deuchar then moved to the Scottish Borders and became director of Berwick Literary Festival.

He was dismissed from the unpaid role after his arrest for indecent online communications became known.