13/03/2013

SAS Man Claims 'Undue Pressure' Led To Guilty Plea

The Appeal Court has heard that an SAS sniper faced “undue pressure” from his own barrister, to plead guilty to a charge of possessing a handgun.

At a court martial in November Sgt Danny Nightingale, from Crewe, admitted possessing the 9mm Glock pistol and 338 rounds of ammunition.

He was released early from his 18-month sentence after it was deemed too harsh.

Nightingale, who said he was given the gun as a present while serving in Iraq, is appealing against the conviction.

In his latest appeal, lawyers for the soldier said: "He appeals against his conviction on the ground that undue pressure was placed on him to plead guilty by his then counsel, Mr Ian Winter QC.

"It is submitted that leading counsel fell into error and placed undue pressure on the applicant.

"It renders the conviction unsafe and the plea itself is a nullity."

The hearing continues.

(H)


Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

20 June 2007
Kenneth Noye to seek appeal against conviction
Convicted murderer Kenneth Noye is going to the High Court in an attempt to get his life sentence overturned. Noye, 60, was jailed for life in 2000 for the murder of Stephen Cameron on the M25 at Swanley in Kent in 1996.
19 July 2006
Coutts wins appeal against murder conviction
Musician Graham Coutts has won his appeal against his conviction for the murder of schoolteacher Jane Longhurst. 36 year old Coutts from Hove, East Sussex, was sentenced to life for strangling Miss Longhurst to with a pair of tights in March 2003. Five Law Lords said that the Jurors should have been offered murder and manslaughter verdicts.
16 September 2013
Benefit Cheats Face Up To 10 Years In Jail
The director of public prosecutions has said benefit cheats could face up to 10 years in prison under new guidelines, the BBC has reported. Keir Starmer QC said it was time for a "tough stance" on benefit and tax credit fraud as he issued guidelines set out for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
21 October 2008
SNP Calls For Lockerbie Bomber Trial To Be Brought Forward
Following reports that Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi is in the advanced stages of cancer, SNP MSP Alex Neil has stressed the importance of holding a "timeous" appeal trial. Mr Neil has called on the Crown Office to bring forward the trial of the Libyan intelligence agent and to ensure no further delays take place.
14 December 2007
Barry George Denies Jill Dando Murder
Barry George has pleaded not guilty to the murder of BBC TV presenter Jill Dando, during a hearing at the Old Bailey on Friday morning. The 47-year-old was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2001 for the murder of Miss Dando, who was shot dead outside her house in Fulham, west London, in April 1999.