Iran Military Man Facing Jail

A globe-trotting businessman who travels to war zones with the BBC was told he is going to prison today after being caught exporting 100 telescopic sights for firearms use in Iran.

Company Director Andrew Faulkner, 42, of Dog Drove, Sutton St. James, Spalding, Lincolnshire was arrested after Customs men swooped on the consignment at Heathrow Airport.

"I know precious little about you, but it is an extremely serious allegation you pleaded guilty to," Judge Nicholas Lorraine-Smith told Faulkner at Southwark Crown Court.

"I need to know how long to send you to prison for."

Faulkner pleaded guilty that on February 18, 2009 at Heathrow Airport, Hounslow and elsewhere in the U.K. he was knowingly concerned in the unlawful exportation or attempted exportation of goods, namely optical sights for firearms.

He pleaded not guilty to two further charges that between October 21, 2008 and February 19, 2009, he conspired with Alessandro Bon and others to export goods, namely optical sights for firearms and military lifeboats to Iran, with intent to evade the prohibition on exportation of military goods.

The prosecution will not proceed with those counts and they will lie on the file.

One hundred high spec German-manufactured Schmidt & Bender sights, worth 124,000 Euros, were packed into seven boxes seized by Customs and Excise at Heathrow on February 18.

They were bound for Dubai, but the prosecution allege the final destination for the scopes – which have 3 – 12x magnification - was Iran.

Faulkner was arrested on February 23 and charged at Snow Hill Police Station, City of London on September 1.

His lawyer Mr. Nicholas Bleaney told the court his client had travelled widely while on bail and was not a flight risk.

"He has got a fixed base, a wife and children. He has been abroad looking after BBC cameramen in Afghanistan and the like."

Regarding the life-raft charge Mr. Bleaney added: "There is such confusion regarding those who police this legislation my client, not being a lawyer, but a member of the public, could not possibly know what the rules were."

Faulkner was bailed until September 8 for sentencing and Judge Lorraine-Smith added: "It is difficult to see how it can be anything other than a custodial sentence. The question is how long."