Christopher Walker spared jail over bedroom ammunition
A soldier who took machine gun ammunition home after a training exercise and displayed it in his bedroom has been spared jail.
Fifty-nine rounds of full metal jacket ammunition and a smoke grenade were found at Christopher Walker's home near Kendal, Cumbria.
The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to illegal possession of the items.
At Carlisle Crown Court earlier, he was given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for a year.
Walker, of Kent Close, Bowston, took the ammunition following a training exercise.
The court heard he put it in his kitbag after exercises in the Brecon Beacons and forgot about it until he unpacked to do his washing.
He kept the bullets "on open display" in his bedroom where they became "a bit of a talking point", the court was told.
Walker, of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, believed he would get into trouble if he handed them back, the court heard.
Discharged from the Army last week, he is now working as a scaffolder.
As well as his suspended prison term, Walker was ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid community work.