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| Explosives charge soldiers guilty | Explosives charge soldiers guilty |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Two soldiers have been found guilty of conspiring to possess explosives from an Army barracks and pass them to associates in the criminal underworld. | Two soldiers have been found guilty of conspiring to possess explosives from an Army barracks and pass them to associates in the criminal underworld. |
| The pair, named as soldiers X and Y, were convicted of conspiracy to possess explosives at Maidstone Crown Court. | The pair, named as soldiers X and Y, were convicted of conspiracy to possess explosives at Maidstone Crown Court. |
| The jury heard how soldier Y asked another soldier to "do a bit of business" and transport explosives to Scotland in exchange for cash. | |
| The pair had been stationed at Howe Barracks in Canterbury, Kent. | |
| Soldier X, a 37-year-old Colour Sgt, and soldier Y, a 28-year-old L/Cpl, of the Fifth Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders), had both denied the charges. | Soldier X, a 37-year-old Colour Sgt, and soldier Y, a 28-year-old L/Cpl, of the Fifth Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders), had both denied the charges. |
| Explosives stashes | |
| Cross-border police investigators were led to Howe Barracks after military explosives were found concealed in a suitcase during a drugs raid at the Glasgow flat of Andrew Quinn (previously known as soldier A), a former serviceman with the 5 Scots. | Cross-border police investigators were led to Howe Barracks after military explosives were found concealed in a suitcase during a drugs raid at the Glasgow flat of Andrew Quinn (previously known as soldier A), a former serviceman with the 5 Scots. |
| Prosecutor Anthony Prosser said a search of soldier X's locker at Howe revealed stashes of explosives including detonators, flares, smoke grenades, distraction grenades and other munitions belonging to the British Army. | |
| Soldier X claimed he found the items in the office while preparing for duty in Afghanistan and put them in the locker on 7 February 2008, before returning home to Scotland on leave. | |
| He said felt he was being "set up" and did not report his find because he wanted to confront his platoon colleagues first without being called a "a grass". | |
| Soldier X admitted he was £80,000 in debt but denied any wrongdoing. | |
| Lucky charm | |
| A banned 7.62mm round, smoke grenades, noise cartridges and 55 blank belted rounds were found in solder Y's barracks dormitory when officers carried out a raid on 15 February. | |
| Soldier Y said he kept the ammunition as a lucky charm so he "didn't get shot" while on duty. | |
| Two other men - a 27-year-old sergeant, known as soldier B, and unemployed Andrew Quinn, 26, a former serviceman, appeared in court in June. | |
| They admitted charges of conspiracy to possess explosives and conspiracy to dishonestly undertake or assist in the retention, removal, disposal or realisation of stolen goods, but denied conspiracy to steal explosives. | They admitted charges of conspiracy to possess explosives and conspiracy to dishonestly undertake or assist in the retention, removal, disposal or realisation of stolen goods, but denied conspiracy to steal explosives. |