A best man who helped a triple-amputee soldier wounded in Afghanistan down the aisle on his wedding day secretly stole thousands of pounds from his injured friend.
When Private Alex Stringer was planning his dream wedding to his childhood sweetheart he wanted his best friend Conor Aldous at his side.
But while Private Stringer, 23, was planning his big day, 22-year-old Aldous was in fact helping himself to £2,500 of the compensation money he was awarded after stepping on a Taliban improvised explosive device while serving his country in Afghanistan.
Private Stringer lost both his legs and his left arm in the devastating explosion in January 2011 and hoped that his wedding to bride Danielle would help him to rebuild his life.
Aldous, from Grays, Essex, had been trusted with access to bank accounts and PIN codes to help care for and assist his friend during his recovery from life-changing injuries.
But Aldous abused that trust in a cynical bid to steal £2,500 in June 2012 - just weeks before he was best man at Private Stringer’s wedding that July, helping his friend make it down the aisle on his artificial legs.
However, Aldous was secretly stealing money from the Stringers, including some which was donated by charity Help For Heroes, which works with injured servicemen and women.
'The complainant was serving as a soldier for the British Army,' said Lesley Chipps, prosecuting.
'In 2011, he stepped on a land mine and later received a substantial settlement for his injuries, some of which came from Help for Heroes.
'The complainant needed care so the defendant lived at the address to help as carer.'
A statement from Private Stringer, read out in court, said: 'I’ve known the defendant since we were at school.
'He said he wanted to help and would sleep on the sofa. He used to help out around the house.'
The thefts were only discovered after the wedding when a routine call from the bank revealed a £40 transaction had in fact been £100.
Mr and Mrs Stringer, who have three young children, then reviewed their bank statements in horror only to find a number of unauthorised transactions by Aldous.
Naomi Pitt, mitigating, said her client had been struggling with the death of his mother and spiralling debts when the thefts occurred.
Magistrates granted Aldous unconditional bail ahead of sentencing at Basildon Crown Court next month.
Aldous refused to comment when approached outside of court.
Speaking after the hearing, Mrs Stringer, 22, said the theft had a devastating effect on the couple and their young family Millie, five, Harlie, three, and one-year-old Jessica.
'We feel really let down as Conor was a part of the family,' she said.
'We're happy he pleaded guilty but it still doesn't cover the credit card he drained.
'Alex will have to work to pay it off which hardly seems fair.'
Private Stringer recently unveiled a wheelchair-friendly picnic bench he designed for Help for Heroes at Chavasse VC House, a recovery centre for injured soldiers and veterans in Colchester.
He has since left the army and is planning on returning to college.
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