British soldier faces trial for desertion

[Darsh]

AFP - A British soldier faced the first stage of his court-martial for desertion on Monday, having refused to return to Afghanistan.

Lance Corporal Joe Glenton, from the Royal Logistic Corps, wore military fatigues Monday for a preliminary hearing at a military court in Bulford Camp near Salisbury in southwest England. Glenton's lawyer indicated that he would plead not guilty.

Judge Advocate Alastair McGrigor adjourned the case for another preliminary hearing on September 4. Glenton faces a maximum of two years' imprisonment.

The lance corporal, who did not speak at the hearing, was to return to duties with his regiment.

The 27-year-old Glenton on Thursday handed in a letter to Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Downing Street office calling for troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan, saying Britain's mission there would fail.

Glenton joined the British Army in 2004 and served one tour of duty in Afghanistan. He went absent without leave in 2007 before handing himself in after two years and six days.

He was on leave until Monday.

His lawyer said he may call on on expert witness to give evidence on the lawfulness of British operations in Aghanistan.

The prosecutors said they were considering an additional charge connected to Glenton's alleged desertion.

The soldier would be interviewed by the military police, they added. The prosecution intends to call witnesses -- mostly sergeants -- currently serving in Afghanistan and Kuwait.

http://www.france24.com/en/20090803-...nistan-glenton

The last month was the bloodiest month for the nato soldiers in Afghanistan and the situation doesn't show a sign of improvement, do you think we will have more and more soldiers in this case?

[Stavroforos]

So desertion's gone from a hanging offense to one with 2 years jail time?

[6th Vigil]

So desertion's gone from a hanging offense to one with 2 years jail time?

I know it's ridiculous!! They don't even flog them any more!!!

[removeduser_487563287433]

So desertion's gone from a hanging offense to one with 2 years jail time?

...

[Stavroforos]

...

What's the matter now?

[lordoftheT]

Lance Corporal Joe Glenton, from the Royal Logistic Corps

Now what reason could this guy have for deserting?

[The Alcotroll]

Now what reason could this guy have for deserting?

Heh- I thought something very similar myself...

[Heinz Guderian]

They should let him off. Make him do some community service, help the local community, then help this man reintegrate into society.

[Hub'ite]

Logistics? You've got to be ing kidding me. The guy has probably never even shot his gun before.

[Rapax]

I'm pretty sure even Logistics fire their rifles for training purposes.

[Paxman]

Sounds like this guy should have got into politics and not the military.

[LoZz]

members of the logistics corps (british) have been killed in iraq and afganistan. Supply convoys are often targeted by IED's and the like.

[Carach]

the guy has no legal basis to stand on. Deserves the full force of the law.

So desertion's gone from a hanging offense to one with 2 years jail time?

considering the time people are obliged to serve in the forces, how easy it is to get out these days, 2 years is rather a lot - tends to be smarter to just stick in the military and serve the notice out.. i doubt this guy is willing to spend 2 years in prison for his cause (which is what? apparently being completely ignorant to politics and the way the army works? theres no idealistic principle here..)

[LoZz]

he could just be scared, he is a human being after all.

[Pickle_mole]

hang him.

ps stavforos who is that in your sig!

[s.rwitt]

he could just be scared, he is a human being after all.

Then he shouldn't have joined the military. Now someone else is going to have to take his place and pick up his slack. Now the other guys in his platoon are going to have to do more work, more convoys, more everything because this guy all of a sudden decided he didn't feel like going to Afghanistan. They should throw his ass in jail until his contracts over. Not that there's anything very political about one guy in the British Army deserting, it happens alot in most armies.

[LoZz]

Then he shouldn't have joined the military. Now someone else is going to have to take his place and pick up his slack. Now the other guys in his platoon are going to have to do more work, more convoys, more everything because this guy all of a sudden decided he didn't feel like going to Afghanistan. They should throw his ass in jail until his contracts over. Not that there's anything very political about one guy in the British Army deserting, it happens alot in most armies.

im not saying he shouldnt go to jail but i think all these people who say he should be shot or hung or jailed for life when they havent the first clue or what war is apart from what they have seen on the tv are treating him like he is some pixel off there empire total war game rather then a human with feelings,family etc.

[s.rwitt]

im not saying he shouldnt go to jail but i think all these people who say he should be shot or hung or jailed for life when they havent the first clue or what war is apart from what they have seen on the tv are treating him like he is some pixel off there empire total war game rather then a human with feelings,family etc.

I certainly don't think he should be killed or spend his life in jail, but he certainly should go until at least the end of his contract, plus the two years he was UA. I knew a guy who was killed when he took the place of someone who had deserted before a deployment. He never would have been in that platoon if not for the actions of a single coward.

[King Edward III]

I can only wonder why Darsh has pointed out this piece of news.

[Trey]

I can only wonder why Darsh has pointed out this piece of news.

Well there are no French desertions, get your head on straight.