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Marine guilty of Afghanistan murder Marine guilty of Afghanistan murder
(35 minutes later)
A Royal Marine has been found guilty by a military court of murdering an injured Afghan insurgent in 2011.A Royal Marine has been found guilty by a military court of murdering an injured Afghan insurgent in 2011.
Two other marines were acquitted at the Military Court Centre in Wiltshire.Two other marines were acquitted at the Military Court Centre in Wiltshire.
The three - Marines A, B and C - had denied murdering the unknown man while on patrol in Helmand province in 2011.The three - Marines A, B and C - had denied murdering the unknown man while on patrol in Helmand province in 2011.
Marine A was convicted after the prosecution said he had shot the man at close range, in what was effectively an execution. He faces a mandatory life sentence and was taken into custody.Marine A was convicted after the prosecution said he had shot the man at close range, in what was effectively an execution. He faces a mandatory life sentence and was taken into custody.
It is the first time British forces have faced a murder charge in relation to the conflict in Afghanistan, said BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt.
BBC reporters in court said there were tears from the marines' families as the verdicts were read. Marines B and C are now free to return to service, the judge said.
Marine B inadvertently filmed the incident, which happened on 15 September 2011, on his helmet-mounted camera and the footage was shown to the court during the two-week trial.
'9mm pistol'
It showed Marine A shooting the Afghan prisoner with a 9mm pistol, and saying: "There you are. Shuffle off this mortal coil... It's nothing you wouldn't do to us."
He added: "Obviously this doesn't go anywhere fellas. I just broke the Geneva Convention."
On Thursday, a recording of the conversation between the marines as the Afghan insurgent was shot was released by the judge.
He had previously rejected an application by the media to release the footage, saying it could be used as propaganda.
During the court martial, prosecutor David Perry told the court: "It was not a killing in the heat and exercise of any armed conflict. The prosecution case is that it amounted to an execution, a field execution."
Marine A was convicted by a seven-strong board, consisting of officers and non-commissioned officers.
At the time of the killing, he was an experienced sergeant, while Marine C was the most junior of the three. Marine B was new to the Helmand base where marines A and C were based.
Judge Advocate General Jeff Blackett said: "Marine A, this court has found you guilty of murder. The mandatory sentence prescribed by law is imprisonment for life.
"This court now has to determine the minimum term you will serve before you are eligible for release.
"To help us do that, I am going to order that a report be prepared. I am adjourning this case until a later date.
"In the meantime, I direct that you are to be taken into custody."
Addressing the other two defendants, the judge added: "Marine B and Marine C, you have been found not guilty of murder and you are now free to return to your normal place of duties.
"The issue of anonymity will be decided at a later date."
Under attack
The murder took place after a patrol base in Helmand Province came under attack from small arms fire from two insurgents.
The Afghan prisoner was seriously injured by gunfire fired from an Apache helicopter sent to provide air support, and the marines found him in a field.
Royal Military Police arrested the three marines in October 2012 after video footage was found on a serviceman's laptop by civilian police in the UK.
They first appeared at the Military Court Centre in Bulford in August, where they pleaded not guilty to murdering the Afghan national contrary to section 42 of the Armed Forces Act 2006.
Two further marines - D and E - had the charges against them dropped in February. An anonymity order granted last year to protect the five men from reprisals remains in place.
Marine A, who was on bail during the trial, will be sentenced at a later date.