Ex-Army Major spared jail after lying to buy tanks and military vehicles

An ex-Army Major has been given a two-year suspended sentence for dishonestly acquiring tanks and other military vehicles.

Veteran Michael Whatley, who served with the Household Cavalry Regiment, appeared at Salisbury Crown Court and was handed the sentence, suspended for two years.

He had previously pleaded guilty to three charges of committing misconduct in a public office.

Whatley, 65 and from Berkshire, was also ordered to complete 150 hours’ unpaid work and pay £1,500 towards the prosecution costs.

Speaking in court, Judge Andrew Barnett told Whatley he was a "disgrace".

"You were a very distinguished man, a Major in one of the oldest regiments in the British Army," he said.

"I don’t want to minimise the effect actions such as yours has upon public confidence in the army. You are a disgrace."

Whatley's misconduct was investigated by the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) Crime Command.

The investigation began in 2011 and concerned allegations that between 2001 and 2011 he had dishonestly acquired a number of tanks and other military vehicles, some containing live armaments, from the national tank museum in Belgium and from the German and Swedish governments.

The case against Michael Whatley was based on evidence he had dishonestly obtained the tanks by falsely purporting to be acting on behalf of the Household Cavalry Museum.

He also used the same deception to acquire free Ministry of Defence (MoD) accommodation to store them and to source spare parts from MoD stores.

Governments and state museums often donate exhibits to other bona-fide museums but are prevented by law or policy from disposing of ‘weapons of war’, such as tanks, to private individuals.

In total, 24 tanks and armoured vehicles of various European makes were seized during the MDP investigation and several other items of MoD property, including military vehicle parts, were also recovered.

Throughout the investigation, the MDP worked closely with the authorities in Belgium, Germany and Sweden and with the Crown Prosecution Service.

After Michael Whatley’s sentencing, Head of MDP Crime Command, Detective Superintendent Raffaele D’Orsi, said: "This was a very complex investigation.

"The investigation also involved detailed collaboration with the authorities in a number of European countries. This was a protracted process that inevitably generated an amount of complex material which needed close analysis.

"However, the guilty plea entered by Michael Whatley and the sentence of the court sends out a clear signal that misconduct by those holding trusted positions in public offices, especially within the MOD, will not be tolerated and will be pursued through the legal system."