Soldier faces jail for taking Help for Heroes cash

A Black Country soldier was facing jail today after being found guilty of organising a bash in aid of Help for Heroes and pocketing the cash himself.

Debt-ridden Ashley White, a communications systems operator with the 22nd Royal Signals Corps for nine years, told Wolverhampton Crown Court he was "loyal beyond belief" during his fraud trial.

A jury took 40 minutes to find him guilty of keeping cash for himself between September 2008 and November 2009.

The Iraq and Afghanistan veteran was sent £2,459.10 worth of stock including stickers, mugs and wristbands by the charity to be sold at an event at the Hussey Arms, Brownhills to raise funds for wounded soldiers and their families.

But the 25-year-old, of Tasker Street, Walsall, did not send cash or stock back and even blamed the pub landlord for stealing cashand merchandise.

Mr Zaheer Afzal, prosecuting, called White a "con man" who used cash to part-pay a £15,000 debt.

Mr Afzal said he ignored calls and letters from the charity but White, who claimed he wanted to support the charity after witnessing soldiers lose limbs and die firsthand on a seven-month tour of Iraq, insisted he spoke with charity bosses, which was denied.

He said: "The thought you are accusing me of turning my back on my people that I served with, spending every day with, words don't describe what that feels like.

"I'm loyal beyond belief to my colleagues and always will be."

White admitted collecting cash for the charity on about four occasions between August and November 2009.

He said he put cash into his bank account but it was swallowed up by a direct debit. White was arrested on November 27, 2009.

The court heard he paid the charity £500 less than a week later — which White claimed had always been his intention after getting paid.

After hearing the verdict, Recorder Mr Benjamin Nicholls said: "All sentencing options will be available to the court." White was given conditional bail and is expected to be sentenced later this month.