A Royal Navy sailor has been jailed for stealing specialist diver watches utilized by elite SBS commandos and promoting them for as much as £500 on eBay.
Ready Seaman Joshua Cheetham nicked a collection of the devices – which function at 300m underwater – whereas working as a storeman on warship HMS Kent.
A courtroom martial heard the 26-year-old had racked up money owed after ‘dwelling outdoors his means’ and resorted to promoting the CWC SBSs on-line for £300 to £500 every.
The watches have been key items of know-how for specialist UK forces for the final 30 years.
They have been described on the public sale website as ‘constructed for elite items of the British Forces, the Royal Marines and Particular Boat Service’.

Ready Seaman Joshua Cheetham (pictured) nicked a collection of the devices – which function at 300m underwater – whereas working as a storeman on warship HMS Kent

A courtroom martial heard the 26-year-old had racked up money owed after ‘dwelling outdoors his means’ and resorted to promoting the CWC SBSs (pictured) on-line for £300 to £500 every
The listening to was informed Cheetham made £1,642 by promoting six watches looted from shops on the Kind-23 frigate, which relies in Portsmouth, Hampshire.
He was lastly caught out in February 2021 when eBay patrons contacted the MOD to test the validity of the watches.
When the sailor’s residence was searched, officers additionally found Royal Navy-owned batteries in addition to one other watch.
Cheetham, a logistician, admitted two counts of theft – which stretched over a six month interval – and one among fraud when interviewed by police.
The courtroom heard he had been begun promoting the watches in a bid to repay his overdraft.
He has now been dismissed and sentenced to army jail for 3 months by a board at Bulford Army Court docket, Wiltshire.

Main James Eveleigh, prosecuting, informed the listening to Cheetham (pictured) ‘abused his place of belief’ because it was a part of his job as a storeman to purchase the watches for the Navy

The watches have been key items of know-how for specialist UK forces for the final 30 years. Pictured: HMS Kent
Main James Eveleigh, prosecuting, informed the listening to Cheetham ‘abused his place of belief’ because it was a part of his job as a storeman to purchase the watches for the Navy.
He stated: ‘He obtained six new CWC SBS diving watches and the overall worth that he acquired was £1,642.
‘As a part of the investigation, they searched his residence tackle and located a watch and navy batteries price £10.28.
‘On February 1 2021, he had ordered an additional two watches however had no permission to take action. The extra order was to promote them in the event that they arrived.
‘When interviewed, he admitted to taking some watches. This was a breach of belief and was a monetary loss for the MOD.’
Cheetham’s lawyer, Helen Easterbrook, stated he had begun overspending and resorted to crime in a bid to combat his money owed.
She stated: ‘The rationale was that he began to reside outdoors his means. He discovered himself in a whole mess and made a really dangerous resolution.’
A Royal Navy Seaman wage is roughly £25,970 per yr.
Sentencing him, Choose Robert Hill stated: ‘You had a place of belief, of accountability which you might have abused.
‘The offending carried on for about six months. It solely got here to an finish when prospects from eBay began to make enquiries about whether or not they have been real.
‘It was not by your individual volition – it carried on till that time.’ Choose Hill concluded his crime was ‘so critical’, dismissal was ‘inevitable’.
Cheetham was dismissed from the Navy and handed a three-month custodial sentence of which he should serve 60 days. He should additionally pay £1,367.70.