A Territorial Army soldier from Brighton has been jailed for stealing a rifle and ammunition from his barracks.
Corporal Harry Killick, 37, of Ambleside Avenue, Peacehaven, admitted the offences but blamed post-traumatic stress disorder.
Killick was arrested by firearms officers from Sussex Police in October last year after he went to his ex-girlfriend Jackie Lothian’s home in Ditchling.
He had an SA80 rifle and live ammunition with him. He said that he had planned to kill himself.
At a special court hearing his evidence was called into question and at Lewes Crown Court today (Wednesday 4 September) he was jailed for five years by Judge Anthony Scott-Gall.
The judge said that Killick had lied about his experiences in Afghanistan seven months before he came back to Britain.
The judge said that only one soldier had died during Killick’s tour of duty. He said that Killick was nowhere near the incident and that the soldier who died did not belong to the same platoon.
The judge also ruled that Killick had not been asked to retrieve DNA from a dead insurgent.
Instead he had a broken marriage, he had broken up with his girlfriend and he had debts of about £20,000.
Detective Constable Paul Hitchcock, from the Brighton and Hove Anti-Victimisation Unit, said: “This is an unusual and tragic case for all those concerned.
“However, the fact remains that Harry Killick terrified the brother of his ex-girlfriend when he confronted him with a loaded weapon, asked where his sister was and then sat down in their home.
“The frightened brother did manage to leave the property and call police and fortunately Harry complied and no one was physically injured.”
The family of his ex-girlfriend and her brother Jason said: “We are pleased that justice has been served and we hope that in prison Harry gets the help and support that he so obviously needs.
“However, his actions that night have impacted heavily on our family and left one member traumatised as he genuinely feared for his life.”
The judge said: “You stole an SA80 assault rifle. That lethal weapon could have found its way into hands other than yours.
“You also stole a full metal jacket round and it must have been terrifying for Mr Lothian to see you with a gun, which you loaded in his presence.”
He sentenced Killick to five years in prison and imposed an indefinite restraining order not to contact his ex-girlfriend or her brother.
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