Veteran sold £65,000 of Army green berets and boots on ebay

A VETERAN who served in Iraq and Afghanistan stole green berets from colleagues and sold them on ebay to fund his gambling habit.

Warrant Officer Michael Bath, 49, who was based at the Commando Training Centre, Lympstone, Devon, was able to steal boots, clothing, badges and even coveted green berets.

Bath, a married father-of-two, was jailed for 15 months after he admitted theft and possessing criminal property.

He told Sue Munday, his probation officer, that he “often dealt with repatriation funerals of servicemen killed”, breaking news to families, and working with injured casualties and their loved ones. Miss Munday told the court that Bath did not want to show weakness but “it had taken its toll on him”.

Exeter Crown Court heard Bath, of Blyth, Northumberland, was “disgusted by his actions”.

Judge Michael Cullum said Bath had sold hundreds of pairs of military boots as well as “poignant” items like “coveted” Green Beret cap badges.

The judge said it was unknown how Bath, who managed the accommodation stores at the barracks, got access to the military kit. The judge suggested that he may not have acted alone. Over a four-year period Bath used the camp’s postal system to mail the boots, clothing, helmets and badges to buyers who bought the items on ebay. The money was paid into a friend’s account.

The fraud was detected after a mystery caller contacted one of only two suppliers of specialist Alt-berg boots to ask how they could be obtained from ebay much cheaper.

Paul Grumbar, prosecuting, said the value of all the items sold and recovered was around £65,000.

Charges against Bath’s wife Ingrid, 48, and his friend Brian Bell, whose bank account was used to launder the money, were dropped by the Crown.