SAS sergeant wins fight against conviction (From Ledbury Reporter)

SAS sergeant wins fight against conviction

9:03am Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News

A FORMER Hereford-based SAS sergeant has had his conviction for the possession of a pistol overturned.

Sergeant Danny Nightingale was told the news at the Court of Appeal in London this afternoon.

Last year he was controversially sentenced to 18 months' military detention after admitting possession of a 9mm Glock pistol and ammunition.

But in December, having served just three weeks, the Court of Appeal suspended the sentence for a year and cut its length to 12 months, paving the way for him to appeal the conviction.

Sgt Nightingale’s lawyers are reported to have argued that he only pleaded guilty to possessing the pistol in the belief he would receive a non-custodial sentence and could stay in the army.

The items were initially found during a search of his service accommodation near Hereford in September 2011.

It is understood the Glock, given to him as a gift from Iraqis during his overseas service, was packed up and returned to Sgt Nightingale by a colleague after the soldier had to return from Iraq to attend another colleague’s funeral.

His legal representatives said he had since suffered a brain injury following a fund-raising run in Brazil meaning he couldn’t explain the exact details of how he came to receive the gun.