A disgraced former Army major has been formally stripped of his MBE honour after being found guilty of fraudulently claiming thousands of pounds in taxpayer money to fund his children's private education. Lloyd Hamilton, a 52-year-old ex-royal engineer from Pembrokeshire in west Wales, was convicted at Bulford Military Court for illegally obtaining £12,964 in allowances intended to cover school fees while serving abroad.
Military Service and Charitable Work
Hamilton had a distinguished military career, serving in conflict zones including Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Balkans. He was awarded the MBE in 2011 in recognition of his charitable efforts, having founded 'Toe in the Water', an organisation that provided sailing opportunities for wounded soldiers. The charity, however, ceased operations in 2016.
The Fraudulent Claims
The fraud occurred when Hamilton, who was based in Cyprus at the time, claimed an allowance meant for service personnel with children attending school in the UK while the family was living overseas. The allowance would have been legitimate if both he and his wife were residing abroad, but the couple had separated, and his wife was living in Hampshire on England's south coast.
Hamilton used the illicit funds to pay for his two children to attend Queen Ethelburga's boarding school in North Yorkshire, an institution with annual fees of approximately £50,000. He denied the fraud charges but was ultimately convicted by the military court.
Legal Consequences and Defence
Following his conviction, Hamilton received a three-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid community service. His lawyer, David Richards, argued in court that Hamilton was experiencing a 'mid-life crisis' and personal turmoil following his marriage breakdown when he made the fraudulent claim.
Honours Forfeiture
Hamilton has now been officially named in the latest Cabinet Office update as one of nine individuals to have forfeited their MBE or OBE honours. The Honours Forfeiture Committee removes such awards when it determines the recipient's actions have brought the honours system into disrepute.
Notably, former Scotland rugby captain Stuart Hogg was also stripped of his honour in the same update after admitting to domestic abuse against his wife. The 33-year-old sportsman received a community order in 2024 for abusive behaviour towards his partner Gillian.
Previous Recognition and Fall from Grace
When Hamilton received his MBE fifteen years ago, he expressed profound gratitude, stating he was 'absolutely elated' and that the honour validated the hard work of volunteers. During his military service, he received multiple campaign medals for his deployments. His dismissal from the armed forces following the fraud discovery marks a dramatic fall from his previously respected position.
The case highlights the stringent standards applied to honours recipients and the serious consequences when those standards are breached through criminal conduct.
