Fire chief ‘sold brigade Land Rover on cheap ... to himself’

A FORMER fire chief is to face trial over claims he sold himself a brigade Land Rover at a knockdown price.

Stewart Edgar, 52, is accused of selling the 2003 Land Rover Defender to a company with which he was connected for £500, turning down an offer from another bidder of more than £8,000.

Yesterday, he pleaded not guilty to one charge of fraud when he appeared in court via Skype.

Edgar, from Carnoustie in Scotland, was earning £147,000 a year as head of Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service when the alleged offence happened in 2018.

According to the charge, the £500 offer was accepted and a higher offer of £8,250 from specialist vehicle company Terberg DTS (UK) Ltd was rejected.

Edgar wore a blue shirt with a dark jacket and tie for the Gloucester Crown Court hearing, during which he lost sound on his computer and had to have the rest of the proceedings relayed to him by phone. Edgar received an OBE in 2018 in

‘Medal at the Palace’

recognition of 27 years of public service. He was awarded the Queen’s Fire Service Medal at Buckingham Palace in 2013.

He and his wife have two daughters aged 27 and 24. At the time of his appointment as Gloucestershire fire chief in 2014, Edgar was working as chief of the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service in his native Scotland.

Judge Michael Cullum said he had been notified that the defence wanted the case transferred to another court because of local publicity about Edgar.

He said he would not move the trial at this stage but would consider a written application from the defence giving reasons for it to be held elsewhere, possibly Bristol or Birmingham.

He bailed Edgar pending a further hearing on September 25 to be followed by a trial starting on November 2.