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| Royal Marine appeals against his conviction for killing Taliban insurgent | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Royal Marine found guilty of murdering a badly injured Taliban insurgent has asked three of the country's most senior judges to overturn his "unsafe" conviction. | A Royal Marine found guilty of murdering a badly injured Taliban insurgent has asked three of the country's most senior judges to overturn his "unsafe" conviction. |
| Sergeant Alexander Blackman, who is serving a minimum of 10 years in a civilian jail, has launched an appeal against his conviction at the court martial appeal court in London. | Sergeant Alexander Blackman, who is serving a minimum of 10 years in a civilian jail, has launched an appeal against his conviction at the court martial appeal court in London. |
| If his appeal against conviction is rejected the court will be asked to reduce the length of time he must serve before being considered for parole. | If his appeal against conviction is rejected the court will be asked to reduce the length of time he must serve before being considered for parole. |
| His defence team has described the minimum term as "manifestly excessive". | His defence team has described the minimum term as "manifestly excessive". |
| Blackman, who was not in court for the appeal, was found guilty in November of murdering the injured Afghan man in Helmand in 2011 by firing a pistol into his chest as he lay helpless after being wounded by helicopter fire. | Blackman, who was not in court for the appeal, was found guilty in November of murdering the injured Afghan man in Helmand in 2011 by firing a pistol into his chest as he lay helpless after being wounded by helicopter fire. |
| The vastly experienced and respected marine was caught by chance on a head camera worn by another of the marines on his patrol shooting the man and then telling him: "Shuffle off this mortal coil, you cunt. It's nothing you wouldn't do to us." | The vastly experienced and respected marine was caught by chance on a head camera worn by another of the marines on his patrol shooting the man and then telling him: "Shuffle off this mortal coil, you cunt. It's nothing you wouldn't do to us." |
| During his court martial in Wiltshire, Blackman insisted that he had believed the man was already dead when he opened fire and he had shot in frustration towards the end of a hard tour during which close colleagues had been killed. | During his court martial in Wiltshire, Blackman insisted that he had believed the man was already dead when he opened fire and he had shot in frustration towards the end of a hard tour during which close colleagues had been killed. |
| But the board that heard the case dismissed his defence and in December jailed him for life in a civilian prison and ordered that he be dismissed from the armed forces. | But the board that heard the case dismissed his defence and in December jailed him for life in a civilian prison and ordered that he be dismissed from the armed forces. |
| The judge advocate general, Jeff Blackett, said he had to be dealt with severely to show the international community that battlefield crimes committed by UK troops would not be tolerated. | The judge advocate general, Jeff Blackett, said he had to be dealt with severely to show the international community that battlefield crimes committed by UK troops would not be tolerated. |
| As soon as he was sentenced Blackman's lawyers made it clear that he would appeal. Blackman's wife, Claire Warner-Blackman, said his sentence was too severe and highlighted the mental tension he was under during the tour. She said he opened fire in a moment of madness. | As soon as he was sentenced Blackman's lawyers made it clear that he would appeal. Blackman's wife, Claire Warner-Blackman, said his sentence was too severe and highlighted the mental tension he was under during the tour. She said he opened fire in a moment of madness. |
| In a BBC interview this week she argued he was no risk to society and should be released. | |
| She said: "It's very obvious he is in the wrong place. There's an awful lot of politics, international politics, tied up with this case, and I absolutely understand that, but for me, at the end of the day, this is about one man and his life, and for something not to happen because of politics just seems wrong. Bottom line, Al is no risk to society." | She said: "It's very obvious he is in the wrong place. There's an awful lot of politics, international politics, tied up with this case, and I absolutely understand that, but for me, at the end of the day, this is about one man and his life, and for something not to happen because of politics just seems wrong. Bottom line, Al is no risk to society." |
| Tens of thousands of people have signed petitions or joined social media campaigns supporting Blackman. Privately in military circles there is unease and anger that he was given what many consider a harsh sentence and there is huge sympathy for him and his family. | |
| The appeal is being considered by the lord chief justice, Lord Thomas, Lord Justice Leveson and Lady Justice Hallett. It continues. |