14th Signal soldiers stole army diesel from Cawdor Barracks (From Western Telegraph)

14th Signal soldiers stole army diesel from Cawdor Barracks

9:23am Friday 24th July 2009

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Two soldiers serving with the 14th Signals based near Haverfordwest appeared in court today to admit skimming off Army diesel.

Judge Huw Davies was told that Lance Corporals David John Jones and Matthew Elston had originally been charged with conspiring with others soldiers to steal more than 10,000 litres.

But the Crown Prosecution had amended the allegations and today Jones, aged 29, admitted the theft of 389 litres and Elston, 35, pleaded guilty to stealing 312 litres.

Both were ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work for the community and to pay £175 in prosecution costs, plus compensation for the stolen fuel.

Jim Davis, prosecuting at Swansea crown court, said both served with the 14th Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare) at the date of the offences.

He said a new captain took over responsibilities for the allocation of diesel at a PLO (petrol and lubricants point) inside Cawdor Barracks and noticed discrepancies between computerised and manual records.

Diesel was withdrawn via the use of a key that logged the vehicle, fuel capacity and amount of diesel taken.

Checks showed that keys had been used for vehicles that were not in service and in some instances the keys were simply fictitious. Other keys had been reported lost, duplicates had been issued but the originals had continued to be used.

Mr Davis said the captain ordered a sergeant to watch the PLO and both Jones and Elston were seen to extract hundreds of litres of diesel.

Both had used bogus keys and Elston had used one of the keys Jones had used, added Mr Davis.

"It is accepted that it was not just these two who were involved," added Mr Davis.

Kevin Riordan, representing Jones, of Guillemot Avenue, Cashfields, Haverfordwest, said his client had already been through an 11 month suspension by the Army and he had been told that any future promotion would be delayed for 12 months.

Barrister James Jenkins said Elston, of Under The Hills, Haverfordwest. had since left the Army and was £20,000 in debt.

"There was plainly a scheme there that involved others," said Mr Jenkins, who added that the soldier who had created the bogus keys was still in the Army but stationed at different barracks.

Judge Davis said the offences represented a breach of trust but sentencing guidelines did not call for prison terms.

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