Antrim Army sergeant and wife accused of stealing from British Ministry of Defence

Lyndon Mort and his wife, Leona (46), are charged with 10 counts of theft of equipment and single charges of conspiring to steal and entering an arrangement to acquire criminal property.

They appeared at Craigavon Crown Court on Thursday to deny the allegations.

The couple, from Duncan’s View in Lisburn, Co Antrim, are said to have conspired to steal £6,000 of items on dates between October 30, 2019, and April 29 2020.

The theft charges relate to mudguards, gas masks, gas mask filters, rucksacks, high-security padlocks and boots.

Their 18-year-old daughter, Ellie Jane Clarke, of the same address, had faced the same charges, but following a no-bill application Judge Patrick Lynch KC said he was satisfied the case against her was such that no reasonable jury could convict her, so he dismissed the charges against her.

He also released her parents on bail ahead of a review of the case next Friday.

Freeing the couple on bail, the judge said he would review the case next Friday to identify a potential trial date.