Former Conservative councillor Andrew Lamont has appeared in court charged with mutliple offences including making indecent images of children and possessing pornographic images of animals.
52 year old Lamont, formerly councillor for the Norland ward in Kensington and Chelsea, resigned from the council on August 30 after a long period of unpaid leave of absence.
The charges against him are : sixteen counts of making indecent photographs of children, one of possessing an indecent photograph of a child, three charges of possessing pornographic images of animals, and two counts of possessing pornographic images depicting an act likely to cause serious injuries.
During his brief appearance at West London Magistrates Court he spoke only to confirm his name and address.
Partially sighted Lamont took a white stick to his court appearance, perhaps hoping for sympathy since - if the charges against him are proven - it appears his eyesight was good enough to leer at disgusting photographs.
He will return to court on October 13, where he will be committed to crown court after a district judge declined jurisdiction.
Mr Lamont was also a trustee of the Migrant and Refugees Communities forum, as well as a school governor.
It's not the first time that Conservative councillors in the Kensington have wound up resigning over images that involve children.
Former Kensington and Chelsea mayor Councillor Barry Phelps, along with Councillor Mark Daley, both then Conservative, resigned in 2010 after emails between the two featuring images of young boys with sexually suggestive captions emerged.
In the instance of Phelps and Daley no police charges were brought, and criminality is not implied.
*Hat tip to Runic for the initial story, thank you, it is much appreciated.
Former Conservative councillor Andrew Lamont has appeared in court charged with mutliple offences including making indecent images of children and possessing pornographic images of animals.
