A British Army officer’s career lies in tatters after he secretly undertook a 650-mile trip to issue death threats to unsuspecting colleagues.
Warrant Officer Class 2 Peter Udall drove from Nottingham to Dundee to slash the tyres of two cars and leave anonymous notes about petrol bombing the family homes of two ex-colleagues.
Military veteran Udall has served more than 20 years in the army but his lawyer said his career had come to an “inglorious end” after he was found guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court.
Sheriff Gregor Murray found Udall guilty of four charges, fined him £2,000 and said the episode would ruin his reputation and career.
Petrol through letterbox threat
The court heard how Udall had worked alongside Squadron Sergeant Major Ben Mancey and reservist Lesley Bayne in the Dundee-based 2Signals Squadron for around 18 months.
They both told the court they were deeply concerned to find their cars had been targeted overnight by a mystery slasher who left identical “death threats” pinned to their windscreens.
The notes, on folded A4 paper inside a polypocket, read: “Next time it will be petrol through your f***ing letterbox, closely followed by a burning match. Don’t f**k with me you c**t.”
Mrs Bayne, 55, said: “I do remember there was a death threat to torch my house.
“It was a bit surreal. I couldn’t think why anybody would want to put a note on my car.
“My first instinct that it was mistaken identity and they had got the wrong house.
“There was deliberate damage to my car. I’m 100% clear it was linked to the note.”
Sinister new year message
Mr Mancey told the trial his wife was extremely concerned by the death threat and said it caused the family to move home a few months later.
Neither she nor Mr Mancey, from York, had any idea who was behind the threat, until they became suspicious when Udall sent them a bizarre message on New Year’s Day 2022.
The WhatsApp contained a meme of Jack Nicholson in horror film The Shining and said: “If at any time in 2020 or 2021 I annoyed or offended you, or p***ed you off, suck it up fruitcake as 2022 isn’t going to be any different.”
When he sent a follow up message to Mr Mancey which just said “tyres” it led the victims to link Udall to the original threats and vandalism two months earlier.
Quizzed about what the “tyres” message meant, Udall told the court he and Mr Mancey were keen cyclists and he was seeking his advice about equipment.
Mr Mancey said he had an “amicable” relationship with Udall but could not remember having a conversation about cycling.
He said the message was the first contact he had had from his former colleague in months.
Message was ‘a joke’
Financial controller Mrs Bayne, from Tayport, told the trial she had a “strained” working relationship with Udall, as she felt he had been “promoted beyond his abilities.”
She said high command were aware of concerns about his work.
A police investigation discovered Udall had driven his VW Transporter camper van from his home in the Midlands to Dundee.
He had spent just 30 minutes in the city before returning home.
When asked if he had undertaken the journey to vandalise the victims’ cars, he claimed he had carried out the 12-hour round trip to deal with stress.
Udall, of the 7th Light Mechanised Brigade, said of the sinister new year message: “I meant it as a joke, a bit of dark humour.
“We in the armed forces are renowned for having a bit of a dark sense of humour.
“It was sent to about 50 people, just to wish everybody a happy new year.”
Fiscal depute Carrie-Ann McKenzie asked him: “Did you do this journey for the sole purpose of vandalising these vehicles? It was you, wasn’t it?”
Udall said: “With all due respect, I have served 23 years.
“If you seriously believe I will put that, my pension and the safety of my family at risk by carrying out stupid and reckless acts of criminality, think again.”
‘Overwhelming’ evidence
Sheriff Murray said the evidence was “overwhelming” against Udall and convicted him.
He said: “Often circumstantial cases are more compelling than when direct evidence is involved and I have no hesitation here at all in finding you guilty.
“I accept there were stressful factors in your life at the time.
“Nonetheless, the witnesses gave evidence that the threats and notes were significant to them.
“However, you have no previous convictions and there will be very significant financial and reputational consequence for the rest of your life.
“There is little point prolonging this with reports, and as you have money coming your way shortly I am content to hit your pocket hard.”
Cleared of system mis-use
Udall, 40, from Newark, was found guilty of two charges of slashing the tyres of two cars belonging to Mr Mancey and Mrs Bayne on November 4 or 5 2021.
He was found guilty of two charges of threatening or abusive behaviour by leaving a threatening message on the windscreens of both vehicles.
He was cleared of a fifth charge of using the army’s IT system – Sharepoint – without consent to find the home addresses of his former colleagues.
Sheriff Murray said he had to clear him after hearing the army had mistakenly left the system partially open to all military personnel.
Solicitor John Boyle, defending, said: “His army career is now at a rather inglorious end.
“He is looking for a similar position, such as security, but the existence of this conviction will cause him difficulty.”
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