Marine A ‘could be free in a WEEK’ reveal delighted supporters as ‘heroine’ wife celebrates ‘crucial’ ruling for Alexander Blackman
Alexander Blackman's murder conviction was reduced on the grounds of diminished responsibility and he is due to be re-sentenced for manslaughter next week
THE Royal Marine who was sentenced for murder after he shot dead a Taliban terrorist could be free in a week after his conviction was sensationally quashed.
Sergeant Alexander Blackman was this morning cleared of murder and instead had his conviction downgraded to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Claire Blackman beams as she reads out statement outside Royal Courts of Justice after her husband was cleared of murder
The verdict was met with loud cheers in court as Sgt Blackman, who was referred to as 'Marine A' in previous court documents, was cleared of murder following a three and half year battle in the courts.
His wife Claire Blackman, dubbed a 'heroine' by supporters, rejoiced as judges at the Royal Courts of Justice in London gave their verdict.
Sources told Sun Online that Blackman's legal team will be pushing for his "immediate release" when they appear at his manslaughter sentencing hearing in around a week's time.
If the royal marine is handed a six-year sentence, the 42-year-old could be released on the same day if judges' rule he has already served his time.
Supporters yelled "three cheers for Claire" after the Marine's wife thanked the tens of thousands of people who have "stood behind" the couple.
Speaking outside court, an ecstatic Claire said: "We are delighted at the judges' decision.
"This is a crucial decision which better reflects the circumstances my husband found himself in during that terrible tour of Afghanistan.
"We must now wait for sentencing and hope for a significantly reduced sentence."
One of Blackman's key supporters, author Frederick Forsyth said: "It's not over yet. We always wanted justice - a very elusive word, much used, seldom achieved, it's a two-bladed weapon.
"Firstly, one blade to get a man who should never have been in prison out of prison, secondly, we go after those people who wrongly and I think villainously put him there."
Colonel Oliver Lee, who resigned from the Royal Marines in protest at the treatment of Sgt Blackman, today said: "I am delighted by the outcome today in the Royal Courts of Justice.
"It has been a long process to get here, but I am very pleased that Sergeant Blackman has now been dealt with justly and fairly.
My only hope now is that the many lessons from this tragic case will be learned.
Colonel Oliver Lee
"This has been my sole intention throughout these proceedings.
"My only hope now is that the many lessons from this tragic case will be learned."
Col Lee, chief executive of the Challenge Network charity, was Sgt Blackman's commanding officer when the Taliban insurgent was shot dead.
Blackman, who was not present for the ruling in the packed courtroom on Wednesday, was convicted in November 2013 by a court martial in Bulford, Wiltshire, and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 10 years.
The minimum term was later reduced to eight years because of the combat stress disorder he was suffering from.
Five judges announced their decision on the 42-year-old's case following fresh psychiatric evidence would have provided him with a diminished responsibility defence.
The panel of judges, headed by Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas, had been urged to overturn Blackman's "unsafe" murder conviction on the basis of "uncontradicted" evidence from three psychiatrists that he was suffering from a mental illness - an adjustment disorder - at the time of the killing.
Given his prior exemplary conduct, we have concluded that it was the combination of the stressors, the other matters to which we have referred and his adjustment disorder that substantially impaired his ability to form a rational judgment.
Judges' ruling
They ruled: "The appellant suffered from quite exceptional stressors ... during the time of that deployment which increasingly impacted on him the longer he was in command at CP Omar."
The judges said it was "clear that a consequence was that he had developed a hatred for the Taliban and a desire for revenge".
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They added: "Given his prior exemplary conduct, we have concluded that it was the combination of the stressors, the other matters to which we have referred and his adjustment disorder that substantially impaired his ability to form a rational judgment."
The judges' heard that at the time of the 2011 incident, he was serving with Plymouth-based 42 Commando in Helmand province in "ghastly" conditions which were a "breeding ground" for mental health problems.
Richard Whittam QC, for the Crown, said there was no evidence to the contrary about Blackman having an adjustment disorder but the issue was "did it cause what happened".
In May 2014, the Court Martial Appeal Court rejected a conviction challenge but reduced the minimum term to eight years because of the combat stress disorder he was suffering from.
During his trial, Blackman, who denied murder and 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.
SERGEANT Alexander Blackman became the first British serviceman convicted of murder on a foreign battlefield since the Second World War.
Here is a timeline of events in the case:
2011
:: March - Sgt Blackman deploys to Helmand province with 42 Commando as part of Op Herrick XIV. His unit is sent to Nad-e Ali, where it sees heavy fighting. Several marines are killed, including Sgt Blackman's troop commander, and others are maimed.
:: September 15 - Taliban insurgents attack a small British patrol base. The attack is repelled with the aid of a British Apache helicopter gunship. Sgt Blackman and his marines are on patrol and sent to look for the fleeing attackers. They find one, lying gravely wounded, in the middle of a field. Sgt Blackman shoots him in the chest with his pistol. The killing is captured on helmet camera by one of the patrol.
2012
:: September - The video of the incident is found on a Royal Marine's laptop during an investigation by civilian police into another alleged crime. A police investigation begins.
:: October 11 - Seven unnamed Royal Marines are arrested on suspicion of murder.
2013
:: October 23 - Sgt Blackman and two others go on trial at the Court Martial Centre in Bulford, Wiltshire, accused of murder. He is only identified as Marine A and his comrades as Marines B and C. They give evidence from behind screens. All three plead not guilty.
:: November 8 - Sgt Blackman is found guilty of murder. The two other marines are acquitted.
:: December 5 - A court rules Sgt Blackman, still only known to the world as Marine A, should be stripped of his anonymity.
:: December 6 - Sgt Blackman, from Taunton, Somerset, is given a life sentence and told he must serve a minimum of 10 years in a civilian prison.
2014
:: May 22 - Sgt Blackman loses a Court of Appeal bid to overturn his life sentence. His minimum term is cut from 10 years to eight.
2015
:: September - A high-profile campaign begins to have Sgt Blackman freed, led by his wife Claire.
:: December 16 - 1,100 pages of new evidence are handed into the Criminal Cases Review Commission in an attempt to have the conviction sent back to the Court of Appeal.
2016
:: December - The CCRC concludes there is a "real possibility" of overturning the conviction, and grants an appeal. Later the same month, the Lord Chief Justice refuses a bid to grant bail, after prosecutors challenge new psychiatric evidence about his mental state at the time of the killing.
:: December 21 - Sgt Blackman loses a bid to be released on bail in time for Christmas ahead of his appeal hearing.
2017
:: February 7 - Five judges, Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas, Sir Brian Leveson, Lady Justice Hallett, Mr Justice Openshaw and Mr Justice Sweeney, begin hearing an appeal brought by Sgt Blackman to overturn his murder conviction at the Court Martial Appeal Court in London.
:: March 13 - The Court Martial Appeal Court announces the appeal ruling will be given on March 15.
:: March 15 - Sgt Blackman has his murder conviction replaced with manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility by the Court. A new sentence will be set at a later date.
The appeal judges heard that at the time of the 2011 incident, Blackman was serving with Plymouth-based 42 Commando in Helmand province in "ghastly" conditions which were a "breeding ground" for mental health problems.
Blackman 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.
He 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 his 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.
He was ''dismissed with disgrace'' from the Royal Marines after serving with distinction for 15 years, including tours of Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: "We have fully co-operated with each stage of Sergeant Blackman's case, which has now involved a criminal investigation, a court martial and the appeal process, and will continue to provide personal support to the family, as we have done since charges were first brought.
"We respect the court's decision and it would be inappropriate for us to comment further on it."
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