Former Roller can continue nursing

Longmuir (second right), with the original line-up

Former Bay City Roller Derek Longmuir has won his bid to continue working as a nurse, despite being convicted of possessing child porn.

The 50-year-old was under threat of being struck off the nursing register after being found guilty of misconduct.

But a disciplinary hearing decided on Monday that he should receive only a caution.

Longmuir said he was "very happy" with the outcome.

In coming to its conclusion it was the committee's view that, while your actions were considered professional misconduct, you were not a risk to the public

Eunice Foster
Conduct committee

He was brought before the professional conduct committee of the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC) after being convicted of possessing child pornography last year.

Longmuir was sentenced to 300 hours community service after pleading guilty to two charges of having indecent photographs, videos and computer disks of children at his Edinburgh home.

The former drummer with the Scottish band also admitted making indecent photos of children at his home in March 1998 by downloading them from the internet.

Caution given

The four-member panel of the UKCC listened to more than three hours of evidence from witnesses and Longmuir himself before reaching its decision.

Committee chair Eunice Foster delivered the verdict.

Longmuir on his way to the hearing

She said: "The committee has considered your case very carefully and has decided that although your actions are regarded as professional misconduct, your name should not be removed from the register.

"However, the committee has decided to give you a caution as to your further conduct."

Ms Foster stressed that being found guilty of professional misconduct was "very serious" and urged Longmuir to study the organisation's code of conduct.

She added: "You must understand that the committee does not condone or excuse your actions in any way.

'Very happy'

"In coming to its conclusion it was the committee's view that, while your actions were considered professional misconduct, you were not a risk to the public.

"And the committee was impressed by your contribution to your profession and the character references we have heard today."

During the hearing Mr Longmuir denied the charge of misconduct .

Please understand that while nursing might be the only source of income for me, it's more than a job, it's my very being

Derek Longmuir

He said he had not looked at the pornographic material of children, saying it belonged to a friend of his who had been using his computer.

Mr Longmuir insisted that he had pleaded guilty to the charge of making indecent photos to avoid a "media circus" because of his previous fame.

Asked whether, with hindsight, he regretted the decision, he replied: "Absolutely, we would have gone to trial if we had known it was going to be a media circus for that one day. It would have been better to go to trial."

Longmuir, a former Edinburgh Royal Infirmary nurse, insisted that pornography had "never been part of my life and never will be".

He said: "Please understand that while nursing might be the only source of income for me, it's more than a job, it's my very being."

The committee heard evidence from several character witnesses including Dr James Walker, a consultant physician at the Royal Infirmary.

The formal caution will remain on Longmuir's entry to the nursing register for five years and would be automatically disclosed to employers or members of the public checking his registered status.