20 Mar 2013

War medal thief's latest appeal turned down

8:30 pm on 20 March 2013

One of the two men who stole nearly 100 medals from the Waiouru Army Museum has had his latest court appeal dismissed.

Ronald Van Wakeren contended he had served his minimum sentence for the theft of 96 army medals, including nine Victoria Crosses, in 2007.

He has repeatedly appealed against his 2009 sentence of 13 years in prison with a minimum term of six years, which was later reduced to five.

In his latest appeal he argued he had now served his five years and was being held unlawfully.

The Court of Appeal ruled that his prison term has not expired and his appeal was invalid.