Explosives transported for £500

The soldiers were serving with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

A soldier drove his parents-in-law 500 miles with explosives in the boot of his car, for £500, a court has heard.

The sergeant gave evidence at Maidstone Crown Court in the trial of two other soldiers accused of conspiring to steal explosives for criminal associates.

The pair, who can only be referred to as soldier X and soldier Y, deny two charges of conspiracy to possess and steal explosives.

They were stationed at Howe Barracks in Canterbury, Kent, at the time.

Soldier X, a 37-year-old Colour Sgt, and soldier Y, a 28-year-old L/Cpl, were in the Fifth Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders).

They also deny a third charge of conspiracy to dishonestly undertake or assist in the retention, removal, disposal or realisation of stolen goods between 31 October 2007 and 16 February 2008.

It was £500, it was coming up to Christmas, I thought I could make a bit of money to offset the bills Soldier B

The 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.

Giving evidence for the Crown, the 27-year-old sergeant said he agreed to soldier Y's plan in November 2007 to take explosives "up the road" from his barracks to Scotland, after being promised £500.

Asked why he agreed, he said: "It was £500, it was coming up to Christmas, I thought I could make a bit of money to offset the bills."

He told the jury that he and soldier Y obtained the key to soldier X's locker, where explosives were stored.

They put them in a sandbag and put that in a car in which soldier B was going to drive his unsuspecting parents-in-law home to Scotland.

Preparing for duty

Once in Glasgow, soldier B said he took the bag to Quinn's flat and was given £500 and an extra £2,500, which he gave to soldier X on returning to the barracks.

He was later told officers had found military explosives during a drugs raid on Quinn's flat in Whitehill Place, Glasgow, on New Year's Eve last year.

Quinn had previously been thrown out of the army after failing a drugs test, the court heard.

Soldier B, who was arrested at Howe Barracks on 15 February as he prepared for duty in Afghanistan, told the jury he had in the past given Quinn a parachute flare, two smoke grenades and a distraction device.

The trial continues.