EX-SCOTS GUARDSMAN JOSEPH O’REILLY LEFT THE ARMY A

EX-SCOTS GUARDSMAN JOSEPH O’REILLY LEFT THE ARMY AFTER THE

FALKLANDS WAR.

HE BECAME A SECURITY GUARD – BUT THE JOB LASTED ONLY A MONTH, AN

OLD BAILEY JURY HEARD.

O’REILLY, 27, OF VINCENT STREET, VICTORIA, HAD HELPED HIMSELF TO

#34 CASH FROM DRAWERS AT THE ROOD LANE, CITY, OFFICES HE WAS SUPPOSED

TO BE PROTECTING – AND #2 WORTH OF CASHEW NUTS.

HE HAD DENIED THEFT AT THE PREMISES IN DECEMBER, 1983, BUT WAS

FOUND GUILTY AND FINED #150 WITH #34 COMPENSATION AND ORDERED TO PAY

#50 COSTS.

THE COURT HEARD THAT O’REILLY HAD SERVED WITH THE SCOTS GUARDS

AND HAD SEEN SERVICE WITH THEM AT THE BATTLE OF TUMBLEDOWN DURING THE

FALKLANDS WAR.

A LETTER FROM HIS FORMER COMMANDING OFFICER DESCRIBED HIM AS ‘A

HIGHLY COMPETENT SOLDIER WHO SHOWED GREAT TOUGHNESS AND WAS

TRUSTWORTHY AND HARDWORKING.

‘

BUT HE LEFT THE ARMY AFTER THE FALKLANDS ‘BECAUSE HE DIDN’T LIKE

THE IDEA OF GOING BACK TO NORMAL GARRISON SOLDIERING AND SOUGHT AN

OCCUPATION THAT WOULD BE DEMANDING AND RISKY’.

IN NOVEMBER, 1983, HE TOOK A JOB WITH CONSOLIDATED SECURITY

GUARDS LTD.

, BASED IN WEST LONDON.

AND THE FOLLOWING MONTH HE

STOLE THE MONEY AND NUTS, THE COURT WAS TOLD.

IMPOSING THE FINE JUDGE MICHAEL UNDERHILL, QC, TOLD HIM: ‘THIS

IS A SERIOUS CASE BECAUSE OF YOUR POSITION AS A SECURITY GUARD.

YOU

BREACHED THAT TRUST.

‘

ENDS.