Retired army officer Peter Laidler, 71, allegedly abused his position as armourer by stealing weapons from the Small Arms School Collection in Warminster, Wiltshire
A retired army officer stole weapons worth tens of thousands of pounds from the Ministry of Defence and sold them to dealers or gave them to fellow firearms enthusiasts as 'gifts', a court heard today.
Peter Laidler, 71, from Oxfordshire, allegedly abused his position as armourer at an Army weapons collection facility for 18 years as he stole a series of expensive firearms - including a £50,000 UA 86AO570 C sniper rifle.
A court today heard three other weapons enthusiasts and former army personnel knowingly handled the stolen guns which were taken from the Small Arms School Collection (SASC) in Warminster, Wiltshire.
MoD police officer Roger Smith, 60, registered firearms dealer Adrian Bull, 64, and former soldier Stuart Pemberton, 51, are accused of handling the weapons as well as tampering with serial numbers.
Most of the weapons taken were SA80 rifles worth up to £7,500 while others include Lee Enfields worth up to £5,750 and an Accuracy International L96 worth £7,500.
Others in Smith's possession included a rifle with a bayonet and an antique German World War One Mauser rifle which was 'valuable and historic', making it 'inconceivable that SASC would part with it'.
Former Army Captain Laidler allegedly also stole a number of weapon parts with which he built new weapons.
Ministry of Defence police officer Roger Smith (left), 60, and registered firearms dealer Adrian Bull (right), 64, are accused of handling the weapons as well as tampering with serial numbers
Former soldier Stuart Pemberton, 51, is also accused of handling the expensive weapons and appeared at Winchester Crown Court
The court heard weapons recovered by police appeared to have been tampered with and new serial numbers engraved 'for authenticity'.
Matthew Jewell QC, prosecuting, said some of the weapons were 'gifted' by Laidler to the other defendants, who he is friends with.
Mr Jewell QC said: '[Laidler] is a former police officer and also a former army officer, and has a keen interest in firearms as do the other defendants.
'Smith is a police officer with the MOD police and has known Laidler for many years.
'Bull is a registered firearms dealer and has too known Laidler for a long time.
'Pemberton is a former soldier who came into contact with Laidler when Laidler was based at the Small Arms School Collection.
'Laidler stole weapons and parts of weapons belonging to the Army during his time at SASC, they included a number of SA80 rifles, sniper rifles and Lee Enfield rifles.
'He did not have permission to take any of those weapons and treat them as his own.
'Some were sold on to other firearms enthusiasts, while others were kept by Laidler at his home address where they were found by police.
Among the expensive firearms were SA80 rifles worth up to £7,500 and a UA 86AO570 C sniper rifle worth £50,000. (Stock image)
'Some were passed on to Smith, who was trained in firearms during his time with the MOD police and he must have known or at least believed that the weapons which went through his hands were stolen.'
He added: 'SASC is an organisation run by trustees. Weapons which come into the collection are recorded. Likewise, every weapon which was disposed of or destroyed would be recorded.
'It will not surprise you to hear there are specific procedures which should be followed.
'The absence of any such record [of a weapon's destruction], where the weapon is found outside the Army in civilian hands, would be evidence suggesting the weapon had been stolen.
Laidler also stole Lee Enfield rifles and a UA 86AO570 C sniper rifle worth £50,000 during his 18 years as armourer. (Stock image)
'Laidler was employed at the SASC as the armourer; he did not have any authority to permit the disposal, destruction or sale of weapons.'
Mr Jewell QC said Laidler stole the weapons and sold them through gunsmiths Fultons.
In 2007, firearms dealer Chris Goodwin purchased an SA80 rifle from Fultons for £3,500, of which £2,250 went to Laidler as he supplied the gun.
Mr Jewell QC said: 'None of that money was paid to SASC.
'It is inconceivable that the trustees at SASC would have allowed Laidler simply to take and sell this weapon for that amount of money, let alone allow him to keep it for himself.'
He also said Laidler 'gifted' Smith with a WW1 Mauser rifle. He said: '[Fultons] record it as being 'gifted' to Smith in May 2009.
'This must have been down to Laidler, and indeed Smith confirmed when interviewed by police.
'This weapon is of some value, and so it is inconceivable that SASC would part with a historic weapon of that value as a 'gift'.'
Laidler also had an 'iconic Lee Enfield Mark III rifle' transferred to Smith which was formerly owned by a Lieutenant Colonel Findlay.
Mr Jewell QC said stolen parts were later put together to form a 'new' weapon.
A 'UA 86AO570 C sniper rifle', which is typically worth £50,000, was also taken by Laidler. Other weapons stolen and handled by the defendants include straight-pull rifles worth up to £6,500.
The prosecutor said: 'Pemberton received only one weapon from Laidler - a sniper rifle.
'No money changed hands. The rifle was a high value item and Pemberton was to exchange it for a different weapon via a firearms dealer, but the rifle he had received from Laidler was purchased in 2015 for £30,000.
'It is inconceivable the Army would have permitted Laidler to take such a weapon and treat it as his own, and inconceivable that Pemberton should receive it and subsequently dispose of it without knowing or believing it was stolen.'
Peter Laidler, 71, of Anson Close, Marcham, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, denies 13 counts of theft and one count of handling stolen goods.
Roger Smith, 60, of Bullfinch Road, Emsworth, Hampshire, denies six counts of handling stolen goods.
Adrian Bull, 64, of High Street, Devizes, Wiltshire, denies three counts of handling stolen goods and Pemberton, 51, of Warminster, denies handling stolen goods.
The offences all allegedly took place between 1998 and 2016.
The trial continues.
Linkhienalouca.com
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Main photo article
Retired army officer Peter Laidler, 71, allegedly abused his position as armourer by stealing weapons from the Small Arms School Collection in Warminster, Wiltshire
A retired army officer stole weapons worth tens of thousands of pounds from the Ministry of Defence and sold them to dealers...
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