A church organist jailed for child sex abuse in Perth had received a medal for helping repatriate bodies from war-torn Iraq, it has emerged.
Robert Brown preyed on youngsters in the Fair City over a 13-year period.
The 64-year-old was locked up for four years at the High Court in Edinburgh.
The court heard one victim had accused Brown of being a paedophile and he replied: “Yes, I suppose I am.”
Brown, of Maple Road, Perth, admitted two charges of indecent behaviour and two of indecent assault committed against two boys between 1991 and 2004. One of the victims was only seven when the abuse began, while the other was 10.
In 2006, Brown was area manager for Dignity Caring Funeral Services and was involved in bringing home to RAF Kinloss the bodies of 14 service personnel who died in the RAF Nimrod crash in Afghanistan.
In recognition, he and six colleagues became the first Scots to receive the Repatriation Medal during a ceremony in Perth.
Abuse allegations emerged last year. Brown sent an email to a victim claiming he could not remember the abuse, but apologised and said it was “vile and horrible and unthinkable”.
Brown was reportedly removed as church organist at Craigie Parish Church when the offence came to light.
Placing him on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, high court judge Lord Burns told him: “The charges to which you have pled guilty are plainly very serious ones representing a long course of sexual abuse.”
He said Brown had previous convictions for similar offences, adding that one victim said the effect that it had upon him was “catastrophic.”
The court heard Brown had been abused as a child, while a member of the Boys’ Brigade.
Advocate depute Richard Goddard said: “He could not say whether the abuse perpetrated against him had an impact on him in later life.
“He appreciates nothing can excuse his conduct. He accepts he has no one to blame but himself.”
A spokesman for Dignity Caring Funeral Services said Brown resigned in early 2017, citing personal reasons.
