A former Coldstream Guard who sold army ammunition to an undercover detective posing as an arms dealer has been jailed for three years.
Rajon Graham, 34, a lance sergeant in the 1st Battalion of the Coldstream Guards, sold 300 9mm bullets for £5,800 to an undercover officer posing as a major arms dealer, Southwark Crown Court heard today.
Graham sold the ammunition to an undercover officer known as ‘D’ while he worked at the Wellington Barracks near Buckingham Palace, London, tasked with carrying out state and ceremonial duties at the time of the offences between 2020 and 2021.
Judge David Tomlinson told Graham: ‘You believed the person who paid you was an active criminal, and someone you ought to have realised was part of an organised crime group.
‘There was in fact no harm done was it was an undercover police officer, but I have to look at harm intended.’
Rajon Graham (pictured), 34, a lance sergeant in the 1st Battalion of the Coldstream Guards, sold 300 9mm bullets for £5,800 to an undercover officer posing as a major arms dealer, Southwark Crown Court heard today
Judge David Tomlinson added: ‘There is a tension between what is clearly an aggravating feature – that your ability to source the ammunition must have been connected with your occupation – with what I read about your exemplary service you gave to this wing of our armed forces.
‘I take note of the implications of dishonourable dismissal, and the erasure of all the good you did over a period of eight years. This is a personal tragedy for you.’
Graham was arrested along with Kirtland Gill, 42, who stood trial last summer but was cleared by a jury of conspiracy to sell or transfer ammunition and possession of a prohibited weapon.
Gill, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, denied any knowledge of the plot and said he did not know Graham was selling the bullets to an undercover officer.
He claimed Graham planted a gun, that turned out to be a replica pistol, in his shed.
Prosecutor Duncan Atkins said: ‘The defendant intended the ammunition to be used for criminal purposes, or was reckless as to whether it would be used.
‘There was a high risk of death or serious harm. He was selling to someone he believed was involved in dealing in drugs and had criminal associates who wanted live ammunition in the context of the drugs trade.’
Austin Stoton, defending, said: ‘Credit ought to incorporate his military service. He had, up until these matters, an impeccable service record.’
Graham was injured during his time in Afghanistan. He returned from in 2013, and after this he started to drink and fell on ‘hard times’, the court heard.
Mr Stoton said: ‘It was suggested to him by a Jamaican friend that he could make money by selling ammunition and stupidly that is what he did.’
Graham was arrested along with Kirtland Gill (pictured), 42, who stood trial last summer but was cleared by a jury of conspiracy to sell or transfer ammunition and possession of a prohibited weapon
Speaking from behind a screen the undercover detective who set up the operation told how four transactions took place between 7 December 2020 and 28 January 2021.
The officer claimed Graham tried to call his regimental sergeant major as the deal was done.
The officer said: ‘For me, I was nervous of being on a military camp, the way I was portraying myself as a criminal, especially with soldiers in the vehicle.
‘I explained I was nervous and I also said I thought it was too hot, which I meant it was too risky.
‘He kept saying that it was fine, that I was with him and that everything would be okay.
‘Shortly after he was saying that I could go with him into the armoury to view the rifles.
‘I decided that was a bad idea. It was a challenge to go on the army base but now to go into an armoury with live weapons was what I perceived to be a serious criminal offence and I was not prepared to do that.’
Asked what he gave Graham in return for the ammunition, ‘D’ said: ‘I gave him £1,000 in cash’.
On another occasion, in January 2021, ‘D’ called Graham to find out if he could still get ‘the sweeties’.
The officer added: ‘Graham said he could and he said he could the next day but not early.
‘He called back to say he would do me a deal, 100 rounds for £1,900. I agreed to it provisionally but said I would need to confirm.’
The two agreed to meet the next day at 5pm and Graham supplied ‘D’ with the ammunition for £1,900.
They met again a couple of weeks later, at the end of January 2021, where ‘D’ agreed to move the excess ammunition via his ‘links’.
Describing their last meeting, on 28 January, ‘D’ told the court how he’d set up a call with another undercover officer known as ‘Dave’.
‘Dave told me he wanted ammunition, so I asked Graham if he could do more. He wanted it as soon as possible, right away.
‘He said he could do more. Another 100, so he could provide 200 rounds of ammunition.
‘In total, the price agreed for 200, Graham said 3.8, which I understood to be £3,800.’
It was claimed by the prosecution that Bacofoil zipper bags recovered at Gill’s address were from the same batch of bags used to wrap the ammunition Graham sold to ‘D’.
He said of Graham: ‘He was living a double life. I question whether he’s mentally stable.’
When police searched Gill’s house they also found £5,950 in a safe in his room.
Asked why he had the cash he said: ‘Because I was selling a lot of car parts. That’s why I had the money.’
Asked why it was in £20 notes, Graham explained: ‘I’ve got a bit of OCD. I choose to swap other notes out. It looks neat’
