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| Christopher Tappin sentenced to 33 months in US arms case | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A retired British businessman who admitted selling weapon parts to Iran has been sentenced to 33 months in prison by a court in the US. | A retired British businessman who admitted selling weapon parts to Iran has been sentenced to 33 months in prison by a court in the US. |
| Christopher Tappin, who was extradited from the UK last February, reached a deal with US prosecutors which led to him pleading guilty in November. | Christopher Tappin, who was extradited from the UK last February, reached a deal with US prosecutors which led to him pleading guilty in November. |
| Tappin, 66, of south-east London, could have faced being jailed for 35 years. | Tappin, 66, of south-east London, could have faced being jailed for 35 years. |
| At Tuesday's hearing in El Paso, Texas, Judge David Briones recommended he be allowed to serve his time in the UK. | At Tuesday's hearing in El Paso, Texas, Judge David Briones recommended he be allowed to serve his time in the UK. |
| The final decision on whether Tappin can return to the UK to serve his sentence rests with the US Bureau of Prisons, a court spokeswoman said. | The final decision on whether Tappin can return to the UK to serve his sentence rests with the US Bureau of Prisons, a court spokeswoman said. |
| Tappin, from Orpington, must turn himself in to start his sentence at the Allenwood prison in Pennsylvania by 8 March. | Tappin, from Orpington, must turn himself in to start his sentence at the Allenwood prison in Pennsylvania by 8 March. |
| Parole hopes | Parole hopes |
| Speaking to journalists as he left court, Tappin said: "I have accepted the plea agreement offered by the US government and confirmed by the court today. | Speaking to journalists as he left court, Tappin said: "I have accepted the plea agreement offered by the US government and confirmed by the court today. |
| "As part of the agreement both the US government and the British government have promised to actively support my repatriation to Britain at the earliest opportunity. | "As part of the agreement both the US government and the British government have promised to actively support my repatriation to Britain at the earliest opportunity. |
| "I look forward to returning home to be near my friends and family, and especially my sick wife." | "I look forward to returning home to be near my friends and family, and especially my sick wife." |
| Dan Cogdell, Tappin's lawyer, told the BBC his client was not in custody yet but was returning to his apartment in Houston. | Dan Cogdell, Tappin's lawyer, told the BBC his client was not in custody yet but was returning to his apartment in Houston. |
| He said Tappin would report for his sentence in about 60 days and that he wanted to be repatriated. | He said Tappin would report for his sentence in about 60 days and that he wanted to be repatriated. |
| "He wants to be in Allenwood, Pennsylvania - that's the quickest way back to the UK," Mr Cogdell said. | "He wants to be in Allenwood, Pennsylvania - that's the quickest way back to the UK," Mr Cogdell said. |
| "If all goes as planned he will be in Allenwood for approximately four months. | "If all goes as planned he will be in Allenwood for approximately four months. |
| "And then once he gets repatriated back to the UK, once he gets transferred back there, we hope he'll get paroled almost immediately once he's in the UK." | "And then once he gets repatriated back to the UK, once he gets transferred back there, we hope he'll get paroled almost immediately once he's in the UK." |
| The retired businessman, who pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the illegal export of defence articles, was also ordered to pay a fine of $11,357.14 (about £7,100). | The retired businessman, who pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the illegal export of defence articles, was also ordered to pay a fine of $11,357.14 (about £7,100). |
| He admitted that between December 2005 and January 2007 he knowingly aided and abetted others in an illegal attempt to export to Iran zinc/silver oxide reserve batteries, a special component of the Hawk Air Defence Missile. | |
| Following the sentencing Tappin's wife, Elaine, said she hoped he would have "the mental fortitude to cope with whatever lies before him in the months and years to come". | Following the sentencing Tappin's wife, Elaine, said she hoped he would have "the mental fortitude to cope with whatever lies before him in the months and years to come". |
| Mrs Tappin, who suffers from the chronic illness Churg-Strauss syndrome, was unable to attend the court hearing. | Mrs Tappin, who suffers from the chronic illness Churg-Strauss syndrome, was unable to attend the court hearing. |
| She said: "Now I can begin to see light at the end of this long dark tunnel, but remain frustrated that Chris's extradition was granted in the first place." | She said: "Now I can begin to see light at the end of this long dark tunnel, but remain frustrated that Chris's extradition was granted in the first place." |
| 'FBI sting' | 'FBI sting' |
| Mrs Tappin added: "Having seen first hand how the Extradition Act works in practice, I'm dismayed by the damage inflicted on defendants and those close to them. | Mrs Tappin added: "Having seen first hand how the Extradition Act works in practice, I'm dismayed by the damage inflicted on defendants and those close to them. |
| "The cost is too often either unnecessary, disproportionate, or both. | "The cost is too often either unnecessary, disproportionate, or both. |
| "We cannot change what has happened to Chris, nor to those who have gone before him, but we can take steps to stop unwarranted extradition being imposed on others." | "We cannot change what has happened to Chris, nor to those who have gone before him, but we can take steps to stop unwarranted extradition being imposed on others." |
| A Home Office spokesman said it was "in the overwhelming public interest" that extradition arrangements functioned properly. | |
| "They must also be fair," he said. | |
| "We must balance both strong safeguards for those accused of cross-border crimes, with assurance that justice will be done. | |
| "A key reason for the loss of public and parliamentary confidence in our extradition arrangements has been the perceived lack of transparency in the process; that is why we announced in October we would be introducing a forum bar as soon as parliamentary time allows." | |
| Home Secretary Theresa May wants to see a new "forum bar" that would allow judges to block some extraditions in cases where the UK is seen as the most appropriate location for a trial. | |
| Tappin, the former director of Surrey-based Brooklands International Freight Services and the former president of Kent Golf Society, had previously denied trying to sell batteries for surface-to-air missiles that were to be shipped from the US to Tehran via the Netherlands, claiming he was the victim of an FBI sting. | |
| The case followed an investigation which began in 2005 when US agents asked technology providers about buyers who might have caused suspicion. | The case followed an investigation which began in 2005 when US agents asked technology providers about buyers who might have caused suspicion. |
| Those customers were then approached by undercover companies set up by government agencies. | Those customers were then approached by undercover companies set up by government agencies. |
| Robert Gibson, a British associate of Tappin who agreed to co-operate, was jailed for 24 months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to export defence articles. | Robert Gibson, a British associate of Tappin who agreed to co-operate, was jailed for 24 months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to export defence articles. |
| Gibson provided customs agents with about 16,000 computer files and emails indicating he and Tappin had long-standing commercial ties with Iranian customers. | Gibson provided customs agents with about 16,000 computer files and emails indicating he and Tappin had long-standing commercial ties with Iranian customers. |
| American Robert Caldwell was found guilty of aiding and abetting the illegal transport of defence articles and served 20 months in prison. | American Robert Caldwell was found guilty of aiding and abetting the illegal transport of defence articles and served 20 months in prison. |