ianstone
03-25-2010, 12:31 PM
http://www.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00450/forces_article_head_450624a.gif (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/)
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01011/280_1011795a.jpg 'No one's favourite' ... Liam Davies
COWARDLY soldier Liam Davies repeatedly did a runner from his regiment to avoid fighting in Afghanistan, a court martial heard.
And as the 21-year-old private laid low in Britain, five of his comrades were killed and 20 badly wounded during a deadly six-month tour of duty.
Last night Davies was behind bars after he admitted two counts of desertion and one of going absent without leave.
He was given a total of 32 months in prison and kicked out of the Army.
Judge Advocate Emma Peters told him he had been selfish and added: "Your comrades had the courage to do what you did not."
Davies, of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, fled for the first time as soon as the 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment prepared to deploy to wartorn Helmand province.
In total his absences - one triggered by a fear of being ostracised by his comrades - added up to seven months and seven days.
Solicitor Lewis Cherry told the hearing in Colchester, Essex: "He is totally unsatisfactory as a soldier. He is no one's favourite."
Another Mercian private, Geoffrey Knowles, was given 18 months detention for failing to return to Afghanistan after leave.
He was found hiding in his dad's loft.
j.kay@the-sun.co.uk
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/2906162/Army-deserter-jailed-for-32-months-at-court-martal-in-Colchester.html#ixzz0jCrVwhbf
Who knows why, he did what he did. All I know is a hero dies once and a coward a thousand times. You be the judge?
http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01011/280_1011795a.jpg 'No one's favourite' ... Liam Davies
COWARDLY soldier Liam Davies repeatedly did a runner from his regiment to avoid fighting in Afghanistan, a court martial heard.
And as the 21-year-old private laid low in Britain, five of his comrades were killed and 20 badly wounded during a deadly six-month tour of duty.
Last night Davies was behind bars after he admitted two counts of desertion and one of going absent without leave.
He was given a total of 32 months in prison and kicked out of the Army.
Judge Advocate Emma Peters told him he had been selfish and added: "Your comrades had the courage to do what you did not."
Davies, of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, fled for the first time as soon as the 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment prepared to deploy to wartorn Helmand province.
In total his absences - one triggered by a fear of being ostracised by his comrades - added up to seven months and seven days.
Solicitor Lewis Cherry told the hearing in Colchester, Essex: "He is totally unsatisfactory as a soldier. He is no one's favourite."
Another Mercian private, Geoffrey Knowles, was given 18 months detention for failing to return to Afghanistan after leave.
He was found hiding in his dad's loft.
j.kay@the-sun.co.uk
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/2906162/Army-deserter-jailed-for-32-months-at-court-martal-in-Colchester.html#ixzz0jCrVwhbf
Who knows why, he did what he did. All I know is a hero dies once and a coward a thousand times. You be the judge?