Soldier on a spree
A military court in Catterick, North Yorkshire has court-martialed an army sergeant for stealing £8,500 ($11,020) in military money to use on a gambling spree.
Prior to this, he had a spotless 22-year career in the military.
The court martial dismissed British Army Sergeant Surendrakumar Tamling, 43, for stealing the military cash in Cyprus. Tamling used the money to gamble at a casino. Prior to this, he had a spotless 22-year career in the military.
The sergeant, who had a “blameless” career and was due to retire in 2026, didn’t think he would get caught. Tamling thought, according to military court reports, that “this time I am going to win.”
Demob-happy
“Demob-happy” is a term described as the “feeling of elation or happiness” on being demobilized from military service.
temptation was the key to an Army post office safe
Tamling’s pre-demob temptation was the key to an Army post office safe in Catterick, the largest British Army garrison in the world.
Assistant Judge Advocate General Andrew Smith stated Tamling was the only person with access to the safe’s key at the time. General Smith stated at the hearing that on February 18, Tamling opened the safe “and helped [himself] to [a] large sum of money in euros.”
Smith stated: “It was not a sophisticated offense. There was only you who could have done it, so what does stand in your favor is first of all, when confronted, you pleaded guilty and you accepted what you had done, and secondly, you did not try and cover this up and suggest that anybody else might be responsible.”
In his defense, the married father of two teenagers admitted he was addicted to gambling and used the cash “to try to pay off his debts.”
Tamling was stationed in Cyprus under the British Army’s postal and courier arm, which was responsible for running the mail, “handling money, and delivering mail to soldiers.”
Repercussions
General Smith ordered Tamling to pay back all of the £8,572, handed him an eight-month sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered him to work 120 hours for no pay.
Smith said it was “absolutely inevitable” that Tamling would get caught.
gambled it thinking you were going to win”
The military judge also acknowledged the soldier’s gambling addiction, stating he stole the money and “went to a casino and gambled it thinking you were going to win and pay off all your debts.
“But, of course, you did not, you lost that money as well.”