An RAF Leuchars serviceman who enticed underage girls to strip off for him online has been warned a jail term is a possibility.
Indecent images were discovered on Chesney Wallbank’s laptop during an internal investigation alleging he faked documents to allow him to be involved in training teenage cadets.
The 23-year-old faces being dismissed from the RAF when he returns to Dundee Sheriff Court for sentencing next month.
Depute fiscal Vicky Bell told the court: “His room was searched by RAF police in relation to an internal matter concerning him allegedly falsifying documents in order to allow him to be involved in physical training of air cadets.
“His laptop was seized and an examination revealed indecent images within.
“The images were found within a temporary storage area used by Windows Live Messenger.
“Chat logs were recovered and show the accused asking for ‘pics’ and asking for ‘pics of young girls 12-13’.
“He also asked an unknown person to do their homework naked while streaming through a webcam to him and during these chats there appeared to be trading of images.
“A total of 10 indecent images were found. There are comments in the chat logs from girls saying ‘I’m only 14’, ‘I don’t want to do that’ and one actually says ‘f*** off’.
Sheriff Alastair Brown’s response to Ms Bell was: “Good for her.”
The court heard that all 10 images were category C, which are graded as indecent but not depicting sexual activity.
Ms Bell added that RAF forensics teams did not examine Wallbank’s computer for nine months as “it was low priority”.
Telling Wallbank’s solicitor Ian Flynn that he was considering remanding his client in custody, Sheriff Brown said: “It is troubling that this is a true case of production in which he has persuaded people to pose effectively.
“The interest he has shown in the training of air cadets is troubling.”
Mr Flynn said: “These items were seized nearly two years ago. He has no previous offending. I think there is merit in allowing him to remain at liberty.
“He is due to be transferred to RAF Coningsby in England later this year if he is still a serving member of the RAF.
“He had a previous incident where he received a financial penalty under the Armed Forces Act for wearing corporal’s stripes when he wasn’t a corporal.”
Wallbank admitted taking or permitting to be taken or making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children at RAF Leuchars between April 21 2011 and June 5 2013.
Deferring sentence until June 11 and granting him bail, Sheriff Brown told Wallbank: “There is a possibility of avoiding a custodial sentence but I will make you no promises.”