SAS sniper has sentence suspended

4:59pm Thursday 29th November 2012 in News

Sgt Danny Nightingale Sgt Danny Nightingale

An SAS sniper jailed for illegally possessing a pistol and ammunition had his sentence suspended today after winning an appeal.

Sergeant Danny Nightingale was sentenced to 18 months military detention earlier this month by a judge sitting in a military court.

THe sniper, who has family in Hampshire, admitted illegally possessing a Glock 9mm pistol and more than 300 rounds of ammunition at a court martial.

Three judges - Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge, Mr Justice Fulford and Mr Justice Bean - heard legal argument at a hearing in the Court Martial Appeal Court in London.

Appeal judges said Sgt Nightingale's sentence would be cut from 18 months to 12 months and suspended.

They said he could be released immediately.

Sgt Nightingale's wife Sally, 38, wept at the verdict. She was lost for words but nodded when asked if she was ''thrilled''.

Sgt Nightingale walked free from the cells at the Royal Courts of Justice.

Wiping away tears, he hugged his wife and father, who lives in the New Forest, in the main hall of the building.

Comments(15)

Over the Edge says...
5:07pm Thu 29 Nov 12

At least some judge has seen sense,,,war hero's get medals not jail sentences

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pippen99 says...
6:20pm Thu 29 Nov 12

THIS MAN SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR HIS DUTY FIGHTING FOR US AND RISKING HIS LIFE, HE IS A TRAINED FIRE ARMS OFFICER AND HE WOULD NOT RISK HIS FREEDOM USING THE EQUIPMENT OTHER THAN A WAR TROPHY WE WOULD ALL WANT TO HAVE A KEEP SAKE, AS ALWAYS TAKEN WELL OVER THE TOP BY THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE, I BET THAT MANY MEN KEEP SMALL BITS AND PIECES AS WAS TROPHIES, MY SON CAME BACK FROM KUWAIT IN THE GULF WAR AND COULD HAVE BOUGHT BACK IN ANYTHING HE WANTED

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peter.maidment says...
6:23pm Thu 29 Nov 12

this is the best news i have heard today, congrats to mr nightingale and his family, and as over the edge has commented, i agree.

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peter.maidment says...
6:23pm Thu 29 Nov 12

this is the best news i have heard today, congrats to mr nightingale and his family, and as over the edge has commented, i agree.

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Lockssmart says...
6:32pm Thu 29 Nov 12

My regards to Credenhill.

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MGRA says...
7:07pm Thu 29 Nov 12

pleased that this is the result. However the fact he add 300 rounds begs the question "why, if the pistol was a 'momento' did he have the ammo?". Any civilian caught with that gun and ammo would get 8 years in prison. Someone has been incredibly stupid ( and this could of course been his so-called mates who it appear packed his bag in his absence ).

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rickey says...
7:50pm Thu 29 Nov 12

The fact is that he broke the law. I have no doubt that he should have been rapped over the knuckles by his superiors but even war heroes have to abide by the law. I can understand the gun being a memento but can somebody tell us why he also had 300 rounds of ammo.

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peter.maidment says...
8:03pm Thu 29 Nov 12

guys, the ammunition was presented with the gun,,a gift set if you wish,,,it was all sent together

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Linesman says...
8:27pm Thu 29 Nov 12

peter.maidment wrote:
guys, the ammunition was presented with the gun,,a gift set if you wish,,,it was all sent together
So if someone sent you a gun and ammunition as a gift, you think that would be OK?

ANY serviceman, especially a sergeant, should be well aware of the law with regard firearms.

Private citizens are no longer permitted to keep a pistol, which is why we had no pistol team in the Olympics. (In fact, I don't think that it was an Olympic event here this year.)

He broke the law, and he can be thankful that his wife fought hard to get his release.

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Linesman says...
8:29pm Thu 29 Nov 12

pippen99 wrote:
THIS MAN SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR HIS DUTY FIGHTING FOR US AND RISKING HIS LIFE, HE IS A TRAINED FIRE ARMS OFFICER AND HE WOULD NOT RISK HIS FREEDOM USING THE EQUIPMENT OTHER THAN A WAR TROPHY WE WOULD ALL WANT TO HAVE A KEEP SAKE, AS ALWAYS TAKEN WELL OVER THE TOP BY THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE, I BET THAT MANY MEN KEEP SMALL BITS AND PIECES AS WAS TROPHIES, MY SON CAME BACK FROM KUWAIT IN THE GULF WAR AND COULD HAVE BOUGHT BACK IN ANYTHING HE WANTED
Having trouble reading the small print.

Maybe your son could have brought back anything from Kuwait, but you can be thankful that he was not stupid enough to bring back a gun and 300 rounds of ammunition.

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noodlesnewman says...
8:45pm Thu 29 Nov 12

peter.maidment wrote:
guys, the ammunition was presented with the gun,,a gift set if you wish,,,it was all sent together
300 hundred rounds ?? thats taking the michael big time ! No consistancy in our law system , obviously in the right club shaking the right hands .The same club that helped white wash the waterhouse investigation into the abuse of the children in the north wales childrens homes which north wales police was i quote riddled with freemasonary , as quoted on our news ! **** off with this inconsistancy !AND corruption in the heart of the british system .

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MGRA says...
10:52pm Thu 29 Nov 12

Linesman wrote:
peter.maidment wrote:
guys, the ammunition was presented with the gun,,a gift set if you wish,,,it was all sent together
So if someone sent you a gun and ammunition as a gift, you think that would be OK?

ANY serviceman, especially a sergeant, should be well aware of the law with regard firearms.

Private citizens are no longer permitted to keep a pistol, which is why we had no pistol team in the Olympics. (In fact, I don't think that it was an Olympic event here this year.)

He broke the law, and he can be thankful that his wife fought hard to get his release.
we did have a pistol team. They train at home office approved locations and can not personally own their weapons. all competitors had to surrender their guns and ammo by arrangement with the home office to the police on entering the country and the equipment was sent to the ranges where it was supervised 24/7. If we could not host all events we would not have been allowed to host the games full stop.

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saintinpattaya says...
3:45am Fri 30 Nov 12

Fantastic news. Now 5 Royal Marines to be released without charge and it will be a great week for common sense.
Do the negative commenters on here realise this is not the case of a taxi driver and a weapon. Read all the facts.
I'm off to the range now. A .357 is the weapon of choice today. Maybe finish with a 9mm Glock.

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Linesman says...
9:39am Fri 30 Nov 12

MGRA wrote:
Linesman wrote:
peter.maidment wrote:
guys, the ammunition was presented with the gun,,a gift set if you wish,,,it was all sent together
So if someone sent you a gun and ammunition as a gift, you think that would be OK?

ANY serviceman, especially a sergeant, should be well aware of the law with regard firearms.

Private citizens are no longer permitted to keep a pistol, which is why we had no pistol team in the Olympics. (In fact, I don't think that it was an Olympic event here this year.)

He broke the law, and he can be thankful that his wife fought hard to get his release.
we did have a pistol team. They train at home office approved locations and can not personally own their weapons. all competitors had to surrender their guns and ammo by arrangement with the home office to the police on entering the country and the equipment was sent to the ranges where it was supervised 24/7. If we could not host all events we would not have been allowed to host the games full stop.
Thanks for clarification on that. Was aware of a tightening up on ownership of small arms.

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Linesman says...
9:42am Fri 30 Nov 12

saintinpattaya wrote:
Fantastic news. Now 5 Royal Marines to be released without charge and it will be a great week for common sense.
Do the negative commenters on here realise this is not the case of a taxi driver and a weapon. Read all the facts.
I'm off to the range now. A .357 is the weapon of choice today. Maybe finish with a 9mm Glock.
If you had read a fuller report you would have discovered that this sergeant had a medical condition that affected his memory. Not an ideal condition for a person to have when they have that kind of ammunition in their possession.

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