A BRITISH volunteer clearing landmines in Ukraine has been convicted in absentia on trumped up terrorism charges by a kangaroo Russian court.
Chris Garrett, 40, was sentenced to 14 and a half years in jail.
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He shrugged off the verdict as “a pathetic attempt to smear me by those who have murdered, raped and tortured thousands of civilians in Ukraine”.
He was tried by a court in Donetsk which is under Russian control.
He has spent the war blowing up artillery shells and live ammo dumped by Vladimir Putin’s retreating troops.
He was among the first into the massacred towns of Bucha and Irpin and worked round the clock in the wake of the Battle for Hostomel Airport.
The former tree surgeon from the Isle of Man said: “I’m much more comfortable being on the front or close to it where I can switch off and just get on with the task.
“With a landmine or explosive it’s either stable or it blows up — there’s no in between.
“I seem to be better at blowing things up than I do keeping relationships.”
Chris, known as Swampy, briefly served in the Army as a teen.
He was taught how to clear landmines in south-east Asia in 2014.
Later that year, he went to Ukraine following Russia’s incursion in Crimea.
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