Man jailed for stealing Warminster army base rifles

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A firearms expert who stole rifles from a historical collection at an army base has been jailed for three years.

Peter Laidler, 72, of Marcham, Oxfordshire, took sniper and assault rifles from the Small Arms School Collection in Warminster, Wiltshire.

He was found guilty of four thefts after two trials at Winchester Crown Court. He also admitted possessing a prohibited high-powered pistol.

The judge said Laidler had a "proprietary attitude" to the weapons.

Laidler, a former policeman and army corporal, took the weapons between 1998 and 2016 while he was the collection's armourer.

The court heard he gave himself permission to remove them, telling police: "I am the boss... I was the clearance."

Robert Bryan, prosecuting, said the stolen weapons and parts, from two L96 Accuracy International sniper rifles and two SA80 rifles, were worth more than £20,000.

The defendant sold one of the rifles for £10,000, he added.

Mr Bryan said Laidler reconstructed the stolen items, creating "inherently dangerous" firearms.

"We are dealing with lethal weapons... created from parts that have not been proved," he said.

"They are capable of causing damage either to the user or to the public at large."

The Browning semi-automatic pistol was found "unsecured" in Laidler's office while two of the stolen rifles were in his garage, the court heard.

Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) said no weapons remained unaccounted for.

Judge Richard Parkes QC said Laidler had shown a "continuing disregard for the duties of trust that he owed to the collection".

The Ministry of Defence collection, based at Warminster's Land Warfare Centre, shows the development of small weapons from the 16th Century to the present day.

MDP said security had since been tightened at the base, including the introduction of a scanner and improved record-keeping.

Ministry of Defence (MoD) police officer Roger Smith, 61, of Emsworth, Hampshire, was previously convicted of handling a stolen firearm in relation to the case.

He was given a 12-month community order, including 200 hours of unpaid work, after an SA80 assault rifle - the Army's standard issue automatic rifle - was found at his home.
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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-50562122
 
"Ministry of Defence (MoD) police officer Roger Smith, 61, of Emsworth, Hampshire, was previously convicted of handling a stolen firearm in relation to the case.

He was given a 12-month community order, including 200 hours of unpaid work, after an SA80 assault rifle - the Army's standard issue automatic rifle - was found at his home"

So a cop is found with a military weapon and gets some community service?

Wonder what would happen if a normal chap would have been caught with the same...
 
Tarrantula said:
"Ministry of Defence (MoD) police officer Roger Smith, 61, of Emsworth, Hampshire, was previously convicted of handling a stolen firearm in relation to the case.

He was given a 12-month community order, including 200 hours of unpaid work, after an SA80 assault rifle - the Army's standard issue automatic rifle - was found at his home"

So a cop is found with a military weapon and gets some community service?

Wonder what would happen if a normal chap would have been caught with the same...
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Was he caught with the stolen deactivated rifle?
 
Interesting, if you read some of the linked articles at the bottom it appears this case made it's way through the courts twice? It looks like back in January a jury was unable to reach a verdict on four counts, and acquitted on 10 others.
 
tiriaq said:
Two L96s, one deactivated. Two SA80s, one deactivated. One jail sentence, one probation. Who do you think had the dewat?
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Thanks, do you have a link to that info?

Although I think you're missing the point..

Regardless of it being functional or not, I can't help but wonder if the same standards would be applied to a civilian in the same situation.
 
machman said:
Is this the famous firearms author Peter Laidler? WTF was he thinking?
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Yes, it is him. Thought he was above the law here in yUK - 'I authorised myself to take them' he said at trial. Well, dang me, I'd love to be able to do that, right?

The 'high-powered' handgun was actually a Browning P35, the pistol we all share between us. Except for the RAF, who used to get the real FN-made version.
 
Tarrantula said:
Thanks, do you have a link to that info?

Although I think you're missing the point..

Regardless of it being functional or not, I can't help but wonder if the same standards would be applied to a civilian in the same situation.
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He WAS a civilian. A former Captain in something or other - that is not clear - and then a police officer, he is a 72-y/o civilian former employee of the MoD, employed as an armourer in the Small Arms School Collection of Infantry weapons, he has no rank whatsoever.

I was a Major, but now I'm nothing. He has the same title as me - Mister.
 
tacfoley said:
He WAS a civilian. A former Captain in something or other - that is not clear - and then a police officer, he is a 72-y/o civilian former employee of the MoD, employed as an armourer in the Small Arms School Collection of Infantry weapons, he has no rank whatsoever.

I was a Major, but now I'm nothing. He has the same title as me - Mister.
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I was referring to the other gentleman in the story, the one sentenced to "unpaid work". From the link I already posted above:

"A Ministry of Defence (MoD) police officer convicted of handling a stolen firearm has been sentenced to unpaid work."
 
Tarrantula said:
I was referring to the other gentleman in the story, the one sentenced to "unpaid work". From the link I already posted above:

"A Ministry of Defence (MoD) police officer convicted of handling a stolen firearm has been sentenced to unpaid work."
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The double standard continues. As of late there was a HRM police officer convicted of (soon to be) shoplifting while off duty and in possession of her service pistol.

She was sent on unpaid leave as well and apparently was not required to personally appear at the hearing and was represented by her lawyer.

The thread is still here IIRC. And strangely enough a lot mimble mimble support from some CGN members for her "addiction plight" too.

Meanwhile, if this was you or I.......
 
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