A Liverpool soldier stole £115,000 of hi-tech army night-vision equipment which his friend put up for sale on eBay.

Steven Barratt, 29, described as a "soldier of distinction" who had excelled on five tours of duty, pinched the classified equipment from an infantry camp in South Wales.

In all, 28 night vision sights of three different types and ammunition magazines were taken, a court was told.

Barratt, of Berwyn Road, Anfield , was jailed for 20 months and dishonourably discharged from the army.

Merthyr Crown Court heard that police became aware of the sale of a piece of night vision equipment on eBay for £2,300 in January 2012 and on investigation found it to be part of the cache stolen from the Dering Lines Infantry Battle School in Brecon.

That eBay account was registered to Jack Carroll, 28, a childhood friend of Barratt's.

When arrested Carroll, of Croxteth Drive, near Sefton Park, claimed he had bought the item from a man in a pub for £100.

Nick Gedge, prosecuting, said both men travelled together to Brecon to carry out the theft and spoke of a "high degree of planning".

He said: "It was the sort of equipment about which there is concern about them falling into the wrong hands.

"These were hi-tech, high quality pieces of equipment that should not be in any other but military hands."

The court heard that Barratt had been at the Brecon school between October and November 2011 on a platoon sergeant battle course.

He had returned to the school on November 14 to complete the course but on November 19, the weekend of the theft, his Volkswagen Passat was traced on its journey by the number plate recognition system from his base to Brecon at midnight and back north.

Barratt, who admitted theft, was to later claim he had travelled the distance to establish whether he was due to attend a further course.

Alexander Greenwood, defending Barratt, said his client had "ruined his life by virtue of his conduct on one night".

He said: "He has been exceptionally stupid and it was a decision he will live with and regret for the rest of his life."

Carroll was jailed for a year after admitting theft. Andrew Davies, defending, said his client did not seek to apportion blame.

A third man, Luke Hirst, 28, of Sandy Lane, Garden City, Deeside, admitted handling stolen goods after placing night vision equipment for sale on a hunting website.

Judge Patrick Curran, QC, jailed him for eight months, suspended for two years.

He will also have to pay £3,000 compensation.