AN Army sergeant from Tidworth who was reduced to the ranks after selling an officer's Iraq War medal on eBay, has won his appeal against the punishment, despite a top judge voicing fears the issuing of medals for bravery had been "devalued" by the debacle.

Craig Alexander Webster, 31, had been serving in the King's Royal Huzzars in Tidworth, since 1993 and had risen through the ranks to Sergeant after an "exemplary career", London's Criminal Appeal Court heard.

He also performed the role of staff support assistant to his regional and operations officer in the regiment.

It was in September last year when this officer was accidentally sent a duplicate of a medal he had been awarded for taking part in Operation Telic, during the Gulf War, which Webster, a married father of one, fell prey to temptation.

After the captain gave his subordinate the extra medal, assuming he would send it back to the medal issuing department, Webster seized the opportunity to make a quick buck - and sold it on eBay for £605.

His dishonesty was spotted by a Canadian military policeman, who reported it to the British authorities, and Webster was brought before a courts martial at Bulford on June 15 this year.

He was convicted of theft after it was ruled the medal, having been mistakenly issued to the captain, was still the property of the Crown.

Webster was sentenced to be reduced in rank to private on June 27.

Lord Justice Richards, sitting in London's Appeal Court with Mr Justice Teare and Sir Michael Wright, dismissed his appeal against the conviction rejecting claims by his barrister, Matthew Scott, the sale of the medal did not amount to theft.

But the judges allowed his appeal against the sentence, and effectively promoted him to corporal, after hearing from Mr Scott the sentence was "disproportionate" with his crime because he stood to lose over £150,000 in pension rights and wages as a result.

The court heard Webster had sent his Captain an e-mail suggesting he was going to sell the duplicate medal on eBay rather than return it to the issuing department, but his superior officer took it as a joke.

Giving his judgment on the appeal against conviction, Lord Justice Richards said: "A medal is a gift from the sovereign to a member of the armed services.

"Dishonesty is incompatible with service in the armed forces because it is corrosive to unit cohesion and morale."

The judge added he feared "the whole business of giving medals has been devalued by a serving soldier being seen to sell them off on eBay.

However, he allowed Webster's sentence appeal after hearing of the dramatic financial impact reduction to the ranks would have on him and his family. He said: "We take the view the sentence imposed here was excessive and it would have been a sufficient and highly appropriate sentence to order he be reduced from the rank of sergeant to corporal."