Coldstream Guards soldier Rajon Graham jailed for selling bullets

Rajon Graham boasted to an undercover officer of his criminal network, the court was told

A soldier responsible for protecting the Royal Family has been jailed after being caught selling bullets during a police sting operation.

Rajon Graham, a lance sergeant in the Coldstream Guards, admitted four counts of selling ammunition between December 2020 and January 2021.

Southwark Crown Court heard he got the bullets from a manufacturer that supplied the Army, which dishonourably discharged him in October.

He was jailed for three years.

The Coldstream Guards are famous worldwide for their distinctive red jackets and black bearskin hats

The court heard Graham, originally from Jamaica but who lived in Windsor, sold 300 9mm bullets to an undercover officer posing as a criminal for a total of £5,800 in cash.

At the time of the offences, Graham was tasked with carrying out state and ceremonial duties while being based at the Wellington Barracks near Buckingham Palace in London.

The Coldstream Guards are world famous for their distinctive red jackets and black bearskin hats.

The court heard Graham, who was responsible for the ceremonial kit used by the regiment, took the undercover officer inside Victoria Barracks, the Windsor base of the Coldstream Guards, in December 2020.

Graham was responsible for the ceremonial kit used by the regiment, including swords and bearskins

It was then that Graham offered to show the officer live rifles in the armoury, but the officer refused because it was "too risky", the court heard.

Austin Stoton, defending, said Graham realised that selling ammunition was "a stupid, naïve thing to do".

The court heard the Army had said the bullets were not stolen from the military

But Judge David Tomlinson said Graham's ability to obtain them "must have been connected" to his job.

Passing sentence, the judge said: "You believed that the person who paid you for this ammunition was an active criminal and someone you must or ought to have realised was part of an organised crime group."

Graham was initially arrested alongside Warrant Officer Kirtland Gill, who found not guilty of selling stolen ammunition.