SAS veterans ask PM to intervene over "monstrous" jailing of war hero - Telegraph I have sent an e-mail to my MP regarding this story suggesting an immediate release of Sgt Danny Nightingale.
Hello and yes a new boy on here but a former 748R owner.I will get to the point early on this tread and sorry for doing so but my lovely son and daughter are Danny's cousins and I have known Danny Nightingale since he was well wet behind the ears.He has not only dedicated his live to"the service" but also to the sevice of others with his vast charity raising over the years and also to the medical service with his design of the "Nightingale dressing" which is a trauma dressing used by many armed forces and ambulance services (If there are any ECP's,Para's Tech's or ECA's on here)in this county and abroad.Please do a search on him if you can and sign the on line petition if you feel that is appropriate for you.Trust me,he is worth the effort. Thankyou for posting this johnv and thankyou for allowing me to post this. Open letter to David Cameron over jailing of SAS sergeant | The Sun |News|Campaigns|Our Boys http://www.thepetitionsite.com/466/...-now/#13529577211101&action=udata&udata=false
Welcome to the site and done! It never ceases to amaze me how stupid this country can be when dealing with good guys and bad guys.
Me too. It makes me sick to think that this guy has been stuck in jail while the Qatada's of this world, along with their legal teams, are busy taking the piss,
Signed Our Armed Forces are let down very badly in this country it's a disgrace These guys keep us safe each day including the bloody government!! Hello and welcome by the way.
Steady on, guys, let's try thinking a little more clearly about this, and addressing the facts. Sgt Nightingale apparently illegally possessed a 9mm Glock pistol and 300 rounds of live ammunition (comprising 122 live rounds of 9mm, 40 live rounds of 7.62mm, 50 frangible rounds of 9mm, 50 live rounds of armour piecing, 2 live rounds of .308, and 74 live rounds of 5.56mm). Under the Firearms Acts 1968-97 these are very serious offences and the Firearms Acts are among the very few laws to require minimum (sic) sentences of imprisonment, of five years for some offences. Soldiers trained in the use of firearms are in a better position to be aware of this than most people. Sgt Nightingale pleaded guilty at his Court Martial trial, most likely on account of being guilty as charged and having no defence. The judge and board apparently sentenced him not to imprisonment but to military detention (at Colchester MCTC), and not to five years but to 18 months. That suggests to me the defendant was treated with exceptional leniency, no doubt because of the mitigating circumstances. Appeal against sentence lies to the Court Martial Appeal Court, which might reduce the sentence still further if it is persuaded that even greater leniency is justified. As things stand he would probably be out in nine months. Politicians (including the Prime Minister) have no power to interfere with convictions or sentences of courts, of course. Sentences are never affected by public petitions (and it would be an outrage and a disgrace if they were) so the petition referred to is irrelevant and pointless. If someone wants to argue that sentences for firearms offences should be lighter, let them make their point - that is something politicians do have power to alter. The views of the good people of Dunblane and Hungerford on that issue should have some weight too, though.
Pete, I started to write regarding the circumstances of the case as reported in the press but stopped because yes, you are right, he was guilty as charged and he had no defence, however there were extenuating circumstances, not least the fact that the pistol was put in with a dead comrades belongings and sent to his home without his knowledge and there it stayed until it was discovered in relation to another investigation that had nothing to do with Sgt Nightingale. It is cases like this that bring the law into disrepute. And to link this case to Dunblane or Hungerford brings no credit to yourself.
Well done Pete, glad you brought the back ground info in. I am sure the court martial trial would have heard all the evidence and know of Sgt Nightingale's courageous deeds and when ever he needs ammo for his job I am sure he has enough and a choice of weapons to use.....just don't keep it at home without the right paperwork/ permits.
I believe it was a domestic between someone with whom he shared a house and that persons wife/girlfriend.
Yes, extenuating circumstances are a matter for consideration in mitigation of the sentence, and would not be a defence to charges. The mitigation may well have been great in this case, as reflected in the light sentence. News media tend to report as though they were facts matters alleged by a party, which the court may not have believed, so caution is required before reaching conclusions. I have not, of course, seen the court transcript. If I may say so, cases such as Dunblane and Hungerford are highly relevant to questions of what the laws about firearms should say. Current laws forbid possession of handguns in UK, and prescribe severe penalties. If anyone wants to suggest there is anything wrong (or disreputable) about the current laws, by all means let them propose amending the legislation. Some posters in this thread seem to be (vaguely) taking that position. I repeat, the good people of Dunblane and Hungerford, among others, have strong reasons to support the current laws and may oppose amending them; I think they are entitled to their views. You have mentioned bringing the law into disrepute. Unfortunately you have not indicated which parts of the law you disagree with, how you would propose amending them, or with what consequences. Perhaps you would care to enlighten us?
