Man admits Olympic medal theft from Dumfries museum

A man has admitted stealing the medal won at the 2002 Winter Olympics

One of the men accused of stealing a gold medal won by Rhona Martin at the 2002 Winter Olympics has admitted committing the theft.

Charlie Walker, 25, pleaded guilty to breaking into Dumfries Museum and taking the medal and other items.

The Olympian, now Rhona Howie, described it as "irreplaceable" when giving evidence to the trial.

Sheriff Brian Mohan deferred sentence on Walker until the conclusion of the case at Dumfries Sheriff Court.

Walker made his guilty plea on the third day of the trial.

He had initially pleaded not guilty - along with 34-year-old Stewart Pettigrew - to committing the offence in April 2014.

Broken glass

The fiscal depute Pamela Rhodes accepted a plea of not guilty by Walker to a further charge of stealing a car in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, a month prior to the medal theft.

A jury has heard how the activation of an alarm led to the discovery that a door and a shutter had been jemmied and police alerted to find display cabinets smashed with broken glass strewn on the floor.

CCTV film was also shown which it was claimed identified the two men visiting the museum separately two days earlier.

In addition, footage was shown of men breaking into the museum and smashing the cabinets.

Det Con Grant Storey said that although it was shot in the dark they were able to form a description of the clothing but not enough for identification.

The trial of a second man, Mr Pettigrew, continues. He denies the offence.