The mother of a hero soldier who had his leg blown off in Afghanistan has been charged with stealing thousands of pounds of his compensation money. Private Matthew Woollard, 20, was awarded more than £200000 by the Government and his insurance company after he suffered debilitating injuries when he stepped on a landmine during a patrol in Helmand Province. His mother Angie Woollard, 43, was yesterday charged with stealing more than £10000 of the compensation cash. Donna Veasey, a spokeswoman for Essex Police, said: ‘A 43-year-old woman from Southend has been charged with one count of fraud by abuse of position. ‘She has been bailed until she appears at Southend Magistrates’ Court on April 21. ‘The charge dates from July 22, 2007, and February 10, 2008, and relates to over £10000.’ Pte Woollard signed up at the age of 16 and the Afghanistan tour was his first mission overseas with the 1st Battallion, the Royal Anglian Regiment . He had his lower right leg blown off in the blast near Kajaki and his body was peppered with 160 pieces of shrapnel. Despite his horrific injuries he remained conscious while a medic applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding and he was stretchered back to Camp Bastion. His heart stopped three times as his colleagues battled to save him but he survived a trip back to England and he was treated at the Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham. During his time in hospital his mother Angie, from Westcliff, near Southend, Essex, was put up in a flat near the …
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