Lee James, founder of the Willunga Academy of Rock program, jailed for swapping child pornography via social media app Kik

JUST three months after receiving a second chance, Willunga Academy of Rock founder Lee James descended into child pornography once again — and that deviancy has cost him 23 months behind bars.

Lee James outside the District Court.

JUST three months after receiving a second chance, disgraced educator Lee James once again descended into child pornography — and his deviancy has cost him 23 months’ jail.

On Friday, the District Court ordered the founder of the Willunga Academy of Rock after-school program serve immediate prison time for swapping child exploitation material via social media.

This music school was in no way affiliated with the Australian Academy of Rock, based in Stepney.

Judge Paul Slattery also activated James’ suspended eight-month jail term, imposed in November 2014, for possessing 41 perverted, exploitative images of children.

“You say you are drawn to pornography that is confronting and bizarre, and the offences have little to do with your own sexual interests,” he said.

“You say you do not have a fascination with child pornography, that it is part of a wider addiction to all forms of pornography.

“I’m not able to accept that submission ... you were given a second chance and, within a few months, you had fallen foul of the law again.”

James, 45, pleaded guilty to one aggravated count each of possessing and producing child pornography, occurring in February and March 2015.

On those occasions, James received and sent illicit material to another man via the social media app “Kik”, including a fictional story he had written.

His actions breached the terms of his suspended sentence, which banned him from internet use for three years and required he perform 120 hours of community service in 18 months.

James, who worked as an OSHC director and school support officer during his career, has been addicted to pornography for 20 years.

Last year his lawyers asked for mercy, saying their client had “fallen off the wagon”, while prosecutors said the time had come to jail the once-respected educator.

On Friday, Judge Slattery said the material James had swapped was “very disturbing” and “abhorrent”, with “highly offensive” content.

He accepted James had been ostracised by the community after his prior offending, and had communicated over Kik out of loneliness, but said that was no excuse.

He imposed a non-parole period of 11 months.

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