Royal Navy sailor is jailed for stealing colleague's bank card to fund boozy night out at Wiggle strip club in Portsmouth

‘Young, drunk and stupid’ Air Engineering Technician David Blundell took a fellow serviceman's wallet from the common room after celebrating completion of a part of his training, a court martial heard.

The 'opportunistic' 22 year old - who had already consumed a ‘vast’ amount of alcohol bought a pint in a local Wetherspoons before bumping into pal AET Reece Bond, 21.

The two then decided to go ahead on the spending spree - which would total £96.50, the military court was told.

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The pair racked up the bill by ordering a £40 taxi into Portsmouth buying a kebab and spending £40 on drinks in Wiggle Strip Club in Surrey Street.

After their excursions the wallet was returned to the common room - without the bank cards in - and the matter was reported to police.

Three weeks later AET Bond 'came clean' to his Divisional Officer, and after interview under caution, AET Blundell pleaded guilty to charges of theft and fraud, alongside AET Bond, who also admitted two counts of fraud.

At Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, AET Blundell was spared dismissal but given six months detention, in a decision which 'could very easily' have gone the other way.

For his 'lesser role', AET Bond was handed a 90 day supervision and punishment order.

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The court was told the incident took place when the pair were training at naval base HMS Sultan in Gosport.

Prosecuting Lieutenant Commander Edward Hannah, said: ‘On March 16 last year, (a fellow sailor) left the common room to go to bed. Unbeknown to him, he had left his wallet.’

The court heard AET Blundell found the wallet ‘around 11pm’ and went to Gosport where he bought a pint for £3.50.

Lt Cdr Hannah continued: ‘AET Bond was not with AET Blundell when he took the card or first used it. But they met in Wetherspoons and the two sailors agreed to use the debit card to fund a night out."

The court heard AET Blundell spent £40 on a taxi to take the pair from Gosport into Portsmouth, before splashing out £13 on a kebab from Gida Express.

AET Bond then made his first purchases on the card, spending £20 twice in quick succession on drinks in Wiggle Strip Club.

‘[AET Blundell] took the wallet back and put it in the common room,’ Lt Cdr Hannah added.

‘It wasn't pre-meditated, but opportunistic in nature. The following morning [the complainant] realised purchases had been made and that he had lost his wallet. The funds have [since] been recovered by the bank.’

The court heard that following the incident, AET Bond told a colleague about what he and AET Blundell had done and wanted to 'come clean' about it - so told superiors.

In 'full and frank' admissions they 'admitted' what they had done and pleaded guilty to the charges in January this year.

Defending both sailors, Lt Cdr Maxine Stiles said AET Blundell 'fully accepted' the 'breach of trust' caused by stealing his fellow trainee's wallet.

However, she explained he had drunk a 'vast amount of alcohol' having come to the end of the first 23-week part of phase two training, resulting in him making ‘a series of very, very poor decisions fuelled by alcohol’.

Both sailors, now stationed at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, had letters of apology read to the court, and Lt Cdr Stiles expressed AET Bond's 'genuine remorse'.

Assistant Judge Advocate Jane England said: ‘You both knew very well you had no authority and permission to be spending that money.

‘The reality is you simply took money belonging to another fellow trainee. You both know that theft from colleagues is an extremely serious matter in the services.

‘By the very nature of service life, people have to live together in social spaces. When deployed space is limited and it is essential service personnel can fully trust colleagues not to steal from them.’

Addressing AET Blundell, she continued: ‘Some people may view this is a silly drunken mistake, and in some ways it was, but many people get drunk and very few of them steal from their colleagues. You didn't give the cards back, you didn't go to your chain of command. You were young, drunk and you were stupid. You clearly lost your way that night. It has been a very difficult decision and could very easily have gone either way.

‘We are going to give you a second chance. We do think you have shown remorse and have time to mature and be rehabilitated to fulfil the potential you have shown so far.’

AET Blundell was sentenced to six months detention in a Military Corrective Training Centre, of which he will serve two thirds before being released.

Speaking to AET Bond, she added that because of his 'lesser role' and the fact he had 'taken responsibility' by reporting himself to his chain of command, he was in a 'very different position'.

AET Bond was handed a 90-day Service Supervision and Punishment Order, during which time he will also forfeit one sixth of his pay.

Courts martial can try a wide range of military offences, many of which are in parallel with civilian criminal acts such as fraud, theft or perjury. They also preside over military offences such as cowardice, desertion, and insubordination.