A FORMER soldier stole kit worth almost £1,200 from his employer.

Jamie Walker, of Linksview Crescent, off Newtown Road, Worcester, admitted stealing £1,185 of heat exchangers from the city’s Global Tube Fabrications when he appeared before magistrates.

The 25-year-old carried out the theft from the family-run firm on December 21 last year after being appointed as a supervisor, magistrates at Worcester were told.

Kerry Lovegrove, prosecuting, said Walker had been viewed as a valued member of the team by the company, which has been running for the last 25 years.

Miss Lovegrove said on the day in question, which was when the company was about to close for the Christmas holidays, they received an urgent order for 28 heat exchangers.

“Because they were low on staff and the regional delivery drivers weren’t working, Walker agreed to deliver these heat exch-angers,” she said. “After returning to work after the Christmas break it transpired that these heat exchangers were not received by the company which had ordered them. £1,185 was the total value.”

Various investigations were launched involving CCTV footage and Walker was arrested and interviewed by police. He admitted to storing the heat exchangers in a garage. He also told police that the firm owed him £765 in overtime wages and that he was not prepared to give the exchangers back until this was sorted. He even tried to take the heat exchangers to a scrap yard in Blackpole, but said he knew he had done wrong. Miss Lovegrove said: “He said what I did was wrong. I will do whatever it takes to put it right.”

Walker also admitted to two further thefts at the same hearing – £4.55 of food belonging to M&S on March 12 and £4 of food belonging to M&S the day before.

Rebecca Connolly, def-ending, said that although Walker was a supervisor, he only had five people below him. She said: “Custody is something you need to consider.”

Magistrates opted for a full pre-sentence report before hearing full mitigation. The next hearing is scheduled to take place on March 28.

l We reported in Feb-ruary 2007 how Walker was one of the last recruits to join the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters, which is now part of the Mercian Regiment.