Tri-Service

Reservist Faces Jail After Stealing And Selling Weapons

A Royal Marine reservist will later be sentenced at the Old Bailey after stealing an arsenal of weapons, including firearms, grenades, explosives and ammunition from a military base.

Martin Shannon, 43, was arrested by armed officers outside a supermarket near Winchester on September 1, after an undercover operation headed by the National Crime Agency (NCA).

Over a period of four years Mr Shannon stole huge amounts of weaponry including thousands of rounds of ammunition, a Diemaco (C8) automatic assault rifle, a semi-automatic Sig Sauer P226 handgun and seven high-explosive hand grenades, all from his base of RM Poole in Dorset.

Shannon joined the Royal Marines as a reservist in 1996 and was also a commercial diver and HG driver.

Mr Shannon, of Hayley Close, Hythe, near Southampton, pleaded guilty to 15 offences back in October, relating to firearms and explosives and is expected to face a significant jail sentence.

The case was adjourned and Shannon was remanded in custody back in October, for Shannon to undergo a psychiatric report on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Defence barrister Kevin Hill said Shannon had a psychiatric history which may offer some mitigation to his sentencing, he told the court:

"It is a case where there might be significant mitigation that would assist the court in the form of psychiatric assessment."

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said:

"We take the security of weaponry very seriously and have robust procedures to deter and prevent losses and thefts which are constantly reviewed. "In this case it would be inappropriate to comment whilst legal proceedings are ongoing."

At the time of his arrest, Rob Lewin, head of specialist operations at the NCA, confirmed there was no link to terrorism.

Mr Shannon pleaded guilty to two counts of having an explosive substance; three counts of transferring a prohibited weapon; one of transferring prohibited ammunition; eight counts of possession of ammunition and one charge of possessing a shotgun without a firearms certificate.