A FORMER soldier who survived an IRA bomb blast during 24 years’ Army service has successfully appealed a conviction for two charges of benefit fraud.

The Court of Appeal ruling, earlier this month, saw David Sutherland’s two-year prison sentence, imposed for a total of six counts of fraudulently claiming benefits, reduced to 18 months.

It led to his release from Kirklevington Prison, near Yarm, on Teesside, last Friday (February 19), several months ahead of his due release date after his conviction at Durham Crown Court last year.

The 63-year-old former Army competition marksman suffered hearing loss and, what is now termed post-traumatic stress disorder, as a result of the explosion, at Sandes Soldiers’ Home, in County Down, Northern Ireland, in 1974.

Following his medical discharge from the Army, in 1992, he was awarded a disability war pension.

But over the following two decades he was said to have made the fraudulent claims, above his entitlement, while variously working as a civilian police driver, an Army garrison storeman and as a college handyman.

Sutherland, of Woodham Village, Newton Aycliffe, admitted four charges, covering £89,000-worth of fraudulent benefit claims, but denied two further counts, relating to an extra £42,000 of payments, received since a road accident ended his job driving for Durham Police, in 1996.

Following his conviction, and sentencing, at the court last summer, it was the latter two counts which were subject of the Court of Appeal ruling, on February 12.

Sutherland remains subject to a potential confiscated application under the Proceeds of Crime Act relating to the four remaining charges, which he admitted.

He briefly appeared back at the court yesterday (Wednesday February 24), when Judge Simon Hickey agreed to a joint application by prosecution and defence representatives to adjourn until a confiscation hearing, on March 24.