http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/oct/2 ... ry-ukcrimeA "despicable" Royal Marine who stole dozens of medals from his comrades and sold them for more than £20,000 has been jailed for more than three years.
Craig Firth stole at least 50 medals from fellow service personnel and passed them to Geoffrey Jenkin, his uncle, who sold them on eBay.
Firth stole long service medals and awards for bravery and tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo and Northern Ireland, as well as a "very rare" pip awarded for service accumulated overseas.
The 23-year-old took the medals from Royal Marine colleagues in their dorms and when they arrived in the post room before award ceremonies. Firth worked in the post room after being diagnosed with asthma and unfit for frontline duties.
The scam was discovered when a marine returned from a tour of duty to attend a funeral and wanted to wear a medal but it was missing from his room, Plymouth crown court heard today.
Firth pleaded guilty to two charges of burglary, five of theft and three of obtaining money by deception. He asked for 20 other offences to be taken into consideration.
Jenkin, 33, pleaded guilty to one charge of handling stolen goods and three other charges of obtaining money by deception.
Firth was jailed for three and a half years and Jenkin for two and a half.
"These medals were awarded for acts of heroism and long terms of service in theatres of war," said the judge, Paul Darlow.
"The thefts were patently a gross breach of trust. Your colleagues put trust in you not to plunder their most treasured possessions.
"It is difficult to put into words just how despicable these acts are."
The medals were taken when Firth was based with 42 Commando at Bickleigh Barracks in Plymouth, Devon, between 2005 and 2007.
The court was told that of 50 medals taken, 30 were recovered, including one from a collector in Perth, Australia. In a statement, the collector told the court: "I have been collecting for 44 years. I have always been absorbed by the history of the services.
"I am gutted about what has happened as I have been the victim of cold-hearted deceit. Everything I felt for the Royal Marines has been blighted forever."
David Gittins, prosecuting, said: "The most worrying effect was for the people whose medals have not been recovered. A replacement medal is different to the original in that it is marked as such."
Jeremy Leaning, defending, said that when Firth was sent to work in the postroom he no longer felt part of the "team".
"He knows he is nothing more than a common thief and in disgrace," Leaning said.
"He betrayed the trust of his superiors and, worst of all, those who served alongside him - men who served with distinction while he performed clerical duties."
Share This Page:
Royal Marine jailed for stealing medals from comrades
Royal Marine jailed for stealing medals from comrades
Craig Firth the scumbag thief who stole service medals of his 'oppos' has been sentenced to 3 and half years in jail.
