A COUNCILLOR has been sentenced to community service in his own town after admitting stashing military-grade ammunition and firearms without a certificate at his and his mother’s homes.

Army reservist sergeant and Northallerton Town councillor Preston Forster, who is in charge of training recruits to fire weapons at Catterick, had collected dozens of live rounds and pyrotechnic pistol flare launchers over the course of many years, Northallerton Magistrates Court heard.

Melanie Ibbotson, prosecuting on behalf of military police, said Forster was reported to the Ministry of Defence following a training weekend at Catterick earlier this year, amid claims the sergeant had spoken of three boxes of ammunition in his mother’s shed.

She said search warrants on the Northallerton properties in April led to various munitions and pyrotechnics which had originated from the Army being seized. The raids revealed he kept thunderflashes in places such as his bedroom cupboard, while one round was found in a washing machine.

Ms Ibbotson said soldiers were required to declare that they had no leftover munitions after exercises and there was also a 24-hour amnesty box for weaponry, but Forster had not handed in either firearms or ammunition.

The court heard the 49-year-old, an avid historian of the Second World War, had claimed a soldier had sold him some of the munitions, that he had discovered others in his bag after exercises and more still at various airfields.

Alan Meehan, mitigating, said describing Forster’s interest in military items as a passion would be an understatement and that he had served in the First Gulf War, Iraq and twice for the UN peacekeeping force. Mr Meehan said: “He is a top serviceman of 31 years’ experience, who has worked as a recruiter and is an expert in weaponry. His word is God on the ranges and has an exemplary record apart from this. He accepts he has made a fool of himself.

“When his and his mother’s addresses were searched three boxes of ammunition were not found. It may sound far-fetched to a layman, but he was finding discharged or not used rounds at various airfields and just brought them to his and his mother’s addresses.”

Magistrate Scott Handley told Forster to complete 80 hours’ community work. He said: “This was a serious matter, possession of this kind of ammunition in domestic circumstances could be extremely dangerous. The seriousness of this is exacerbated by the fact you deal with these things as a run of the mill part of your job.”

After the case, Forster said: “I do apologise this has come to court. I learnt my lessons eight months ago. I’m a Northallerton town councillor and I will look forward to doing 80 hours in the community.”