Wife of Royal Marine A jailed for killing a Taliban insurgent hopes for ‘best Christmas ever’ as judge prepares to decide on his murder conviction appeal
Sergeant Alexander Blackman's dedicated wife Claire has been fighting for his release since he was jailed in 2013
THE wife of a Royal Marine A convicted of murdering an injured Afghan fighter says it would be "the best Christmas ever" if he was granted bail ahead of his appeal.
Sergeant Alexander Blackman was jailed for ten years for shooting a captive Taliban insurgent who had been wounded in an attack on a British base in Afghanistan in 2011.
His lawyers will today try to convince Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas and Mr Justice Openshaw to allow him home for Christmas after his conviction and sentence was referred to the Court Martial Appeal Court for review.
Wife Claire, who is fighting to clear his name, says she is "trying hard not to get excited" about his possible release.
She said: "We think we've got a really strong application for bail and we're hopeful, of course - it would be amazing, it would be fantastic, but one step at a time.
“This time it's very hard for him. Particularly a lot of lads are saying 'You are going home, you are going home', and he's saying 'Hang on, it's not a foregone conclusion'.
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"He hasn't wanted to jinx anything. I guess he's thought about what he might take with him, but he's not gone so far as to pack a bag."
But she added that her husband's release would mean she would have "the best Christmas ever", reports the Daily Telegraph.
Blackman, of Taunton in Somerset, was convicted in November 2013 by a court martial in Bulford, Wiltshire, and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 10 years.
We think we've got a really strong application for bail and we're hopeful, of course.
Claire Blackman
In May 2014, the Court Martial Appeal Court rejected his conviction challenge, but reduced the minimum term - the least he must serve before becoming eligible to apply for parole - to eight years because of the combat stress disorder he was suffering from at the time of the incident.
The killing happened in Helmand province in 2011 while Blackman was serving with Plymouth-based 42 Commando.
He shot the insurgent, who had been seriously injured in an attack by an Apache helicopter, in the chest at close range with a 9mm pistol before quoting a phrase from Shakespeare as the man convulsed and died in front of him.
Blackman told him: ''There you are. Shuffle off this mortal coil, you c***. It's nothing you wouldn't do to us.''
He then turned to comrades and said: ''Obviously this doesn't go anywhere, fellas. I just broke the Geneva Convention.''
The shooting was captured on a camera mounted on the helmet of another Royal Marine. Two junior colleagues were cleared of murder.
During his trial, Blackman - who was known at that stage as Marine A - said he believed the victim was already dead and he was taking out his anger on a corpse.
As well as the life sentence, Blackman - who denied murder - was ''dismissed with disgrace'' from the Royal Marines after he had served with distinction for 15 years, including tours of Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland.
Blackman applied to the CCRC in December 2015 for a review.
The commission said that following an "in-depth", 11-month investigation it had decided to refer the case.
It's after a report found that the convicted Marine was suffering mental and physical exhaustion at the time of the killing - and "senior officers missed several warning signs".
Blackman's lawyers fighting for his release say he is "a man of integrity" who deserves bail while awaiting the start of an appeal against his murder conviction.
They added that his "acute debt of gratitude" to his supporters - including Sun readers - means he would not flee if released.
The commission said it had concluded that a number of new issues "raise a real possibility" that the Court Martial Appeal Court "will now quash Mr Blackman's murder conviction".
When the fresh appeal is heard, judges will be asked to consider a number of issues, including new expert evidence acquired by the CCRC relating to the soldier's mental state at the time of the offence.
They will also consider the fact that an alternative verdict of unlawful act manslaughter was not available to the court martial board when it considered the case.
Major General Holmes, who was director of all UK special forces, has offered a £50,000 guarantee for Sgt Blackman's bail application lodged at the weekend.
He said: "I have supported Sgt Blackman’s cause since the outset.
"I am more than happy to help stand his bail so he can be reunited with his family."
The new appeal will not be heard until the summer or next autumn and will consider whether he is guilty of "diminished responsibility".
If the Court Martial Appeal Court agrees, his sentence could be cut to manslaughter or the conviction could be quashed.
His lawyers want the case to be heard in public and will tell the court Sgt Blackman is a "man of integrity".
Jonathan Goldberg QC will tell this week's bail hearing: "Tens of thousands of ordinary people have contributed donations to the Justice for Sgt Blackman campaign.
"Thousands of former Royal Marines have peacefully held rallies and demonstrated in Parliament Square and Birmingham.
"He is a man of great integrity who acutely feels a duty and a debt of gratitude to them.
"He will follow due process meticulously."
The judge at Sgt Blackman's court martial said his offence is not one he would have committed at home.
He will not be present at the bail hearing at the Court Martial Appeal Court in London.
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