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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Army marksman Morgan Cook kept ammunition illegally | Army marksman Morgan Cook kept ammunition illegally |
| (1 day later) | |
| An Army marksman's hopes of Olympic gold were dashed and his career left in ruins after he illegally kept ammunition, a court martial has heard. | An Army marksman's hopes of Olympic gold were dashed and his career left in ruins after he illegally kept ammunition, a court martial has heard. |
| Warrant Officer Morgan Cook, 40, had been tipped to lead Team GB to shooting glory at the London Games, the hearing at Colchester was told. | Warrant Officer Morgan Cook, 40, had been tipped to lead Team GB to shooting glory at the London Games, the hearing at Colchester was told. |
| At an earlier hearing Cook, who was based in Bedfordshire, admitted illegal possession of thousands of rounds. | At an earlier hearing Cook, who was based in Bedfordshire, admitted illegal possession of thousands of rounds. |
| He was ordered to be reduced to the ranks and dismissed from the Army. | He was ordered to be reduced to the ranks and dismissed from the Army. |
| Cook was also given a nine-month prison sentence suspended for a year. | Cook was also given a nine-month prison sentence suspended for a year. |
| Judge Advocate Emma Peters told him: "You are, it is quite clear, an elite British Army marksman. | Judge Advocate Emma Peters told him: "You are, it is quite clear, an elite British Army marksman. |
| "That exalted position has been lost as a result of your actions and it is clear you will never compete again. | "That exalted position has been lost as a result of your actions and it is clear you will never compete again. |
| "Equally though, competing at that level ought to have imbued you with a healthy respect for ammunition and its safe-keeping. | "Equally though, competing at that level ought to have imbued you with a healthy respect for ammunition and its safe-keeping. |
| "Your actions could have resulted in that ammunition falling into the wrong hands and fuelled the evil of gun crime." | "Your actions could have resulted in that ammunition falling into the wrong hands and fuelled the evil of gun crime." |
| Cook, who received glowing character references from his superiors, has already applied to leave the Army. | Cook, who received glowing character references from his superiors, has already applied to leave the Army. |
| The hearing at Colchester Military Court Centre was told he stored the ammunition to help train himself and a team for the 2012 Olympics. | The hearing at Colchester Military Court Centre was told he stored the ammunition to help train himself and a team for the 2012 Olympics. |
| 'Good medal bet' | 'Good medal bet' |
| Simon Reevell, mitigating, said success at the Games had seemed a realistic ambition. | Simon Reevell, mitigating, said success at the Games had seemed a realistic ambition. |
| "I can't say if he would have won but, at the time of the London Olympics, his personal best would in fact have been a gold medal score," he said. | "I can't say if he would have won but, at the time of the London Olympics, his personal best would in fact have been a gold medal score," he said. |
| "To go from being a good bet for a medal to being here with his career over is, on any view, a shame." | "To go from being a good bet for a medal to being here with his career over is, on any view, a shame." |
| Lt Col Alastair Murray, prosecuting, said Cook had been arrested in November last year by military police after Jessica Robbins, a sports trainer, posted a video of a shooting exercise supervised by him on Facebook. | |
| As a civilian, Ms Robbins did not have permission to take part in the exercise, which involved firing live rounds and automatic weapons. | |
| Cook had to surrender his firearms licence, along with any weapons and ammunition. | Cook had to surrender his firearms licence, along with any weapons and ammunition. |
| He surrendered about 16,000 rounds but illegally kept about 30,000. | He surrendered about 16,000 rounds but illegally kept about 30,000. |
| Handed himself in | Handed himself in |
| Because he knew his service house at RAF Henlow, Bedfordshire, was to be searched he buried the ammunition on a nearby firing range alongside the Chicksands base. | Because he knew his service house at RAF Henlow, Bedfordshire, was to be searched he buried the ammunition on a nearby firing range alongside the Chicksands base. |
| The public had access to this area and a soldier on a training exercise stumbled across the cache in February while digging a sentry position. | The public had access to this area and a soldier on a training exercise stumbled across the cache in February while digging a sentry position. |
| Cook became aware of the find and handed himself in, Lt Col Murray said. | Cook became aware of the find and handed himself in, Lt Col Murray said. |
| Cook, a warrant officer class two at the Headquarters Defence Intelligence and Security Centre in Chicksands, admitted four charges, including one of allowing a civilian to use a weapon on a firing range. | Cook, a warrant officer class two at the Headquarters Defence Intelligence and Security Centre in Chicksands, admitted four charges, including one of allowing a civilian to use a weapon on a firing range. |
| A married father-of-two, Cook has served in the Army for 24 years, completing tours of Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland. | A married father-of-two, Cook has served in the Army for 24 years, completing tours of Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland. |
| Cook was left out of Team GB despite achieving qualifying scores. | Cook was left out of Team GB despite achieving qualifying scores. |
| British Shooting said his scores were ineligible because they had been achieved during practice and not in designated events. | British Shooting said his scores were ineligible because they had been achieved during practice and not in designated events. |