SAS Hero Betrayed by British Legal System over War Trophy

The wife of an SAS soldier has accused Army chiefs of 'betrayal' after he was jailed for illegally possessing a pistol given to him for his work in Iraq. Sally Nightingale spoke out as her husband Danny, a special forces sniper, began an 18-month sentence in military detention. He was presented with the 'war trophy' 9mm Glock by the Iraq Army for his outstanding service after training a secret counter-terrorism force called The Apostles. Read more: www.dailymail.co.uk... utstanding-service.html#ixzz2Bxji8WkH Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Its remembrance Sunday in the UK, when we pause to remember those brave souls who have gave their lives defending our boarders, and those who leave their families for moths at a time to defend our liberty. Included amongst this special group of individuals are the men of our Special Forces, Including those from the 22nd Special Air Service (22SAS) Regiment who gone above and beyond to defend us. It’s sickening then and a true testament to the ridiculous judicial system of this country then that a member of 22SAS has been sent to prison for 18 months for possessing a pistol.

The story of Sargent Nightingale is certainly quite impressive until its end. He has served in the British Army for 17 years, 11 of those in the SAS. In 2007 he was part of Task Force Black hunting down member of Al-Qa’ida and later he was responsible for training Iraq’s Counterterrorism unit known as “the apostils”. Towards the end of this assignment to train these individuals two of Sargent Nightingale’s friends were killed in a helicopter crash, he chose to leave early and head back to the UK with the bodies. However at the end of the training, the recruits presented Sargent Nightingale with a Glock 9mm pistol which he intended to have decommissioned and then hung up in the Sergeants Mess back in Hereford the base of 22SAS .

Such was the haste of Sargent Nightingale’s departure from Iraq in November 2007 he was unable to pack all of his possessions. Therefore in 2008 his colleagues packed up the rest of his kit to be sent back to the SAS base and then on to his home, including the pistol presented to him as a war trophy where it remained unopened until 2010.

In 2009 he went on a 200 mile trek in Brazil fund raising when he collapsed into a 3 day comma and awoke with memory loss. Then in 2010 he was living with another man before being sent of quickly to Afghanistan at short notice. The other man’s ex-wife claimed that he had assaulted her and further more kept ammunition. As a result the policed raided Sargent Nightingales home where the other man was staying and found the old pistol. In the UK it is an offense to be in possession of a pistol.

Sargent Nightingale has claimed as a result of the coma and his other commitments he forgot about the existence of the pistol. A doctor has also agreed that this is a possibility however the judge has sentenced him to 18 months in prison.

I agree that his excuse may be flimsy and I do personally disagree with gun ownership.

BUT.

This is not how we should be treating our hero’s, this is a disgrace on a national level that our legal system is so inept that this man get’s sent to prison. His Army pay has been frozen and as a result his wife and their two young children may lose their homes.


Keep prisons for criminals not for our solders.

Originally posted by OtherSideOfTheCoin

Keep prisons for prisoners not for our solders.

I think that should say KEEP PRISON FOR CRIMINALS.

However, if this man did not remember (especialy as he had memmory loss) that he had possesion of the gun then he is NOT a criminal.

Shame on them!

reply to post by VoidHawk


thanks for pointing that out, av made the change

Well that sucks. Maybe he will move to the US when he gets out.

just because he is a soldier does not exempt him from the law of the land..

in fact, that law is what he is representing

especially when trying to spread our democracy to their country.


his service is fantastic, his breaking laws by owning an illegal handgun is not

reply to post by okamitengu


Ordinarily I would agree but I think there has to be some flexibility he was not keeping the gun for personal use, he forgot it was there and a doctor has agreed that this is entirely possible given his brain injury. It was also possible for him to be given a suspended sentence the judge had other options available for sentencing other than custodial.

A few points

If you train people to kill at this level, don't be surprised that they are always ready to do so.

Put enough of these guys in prison and watch out.

Just let the Gov keep going like this. It all ads up. When the Lordlings want help to control the masses, the army will just build the bon-fires, and they will do so professionally. Roasted polly anyone?

P

Just a thought, but, is it possible they wanted someone on the inside? Someone who can look after himself while sniffing criminal info?

reply to post by VoidHawk

Just a thought, but, is it possible they wanted someone on the inside? Someone who can look after himself while sniffing criminal info?

You mean as in the book “hard landing” by Stephen leather…..

I don’t think so, they have undercover police officers for that kind of thing, undercover law enforcement like that isn’t really the SAS’s modus operandi. Also the guy and his wife have wavered the anonymity that usually goes with Special Forces to make this story public.

reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin

What a perfectly horrible story. I'm glad I read your entire OP through because my first impression was tough luck..the UK has gun laws as they are not joking about them. Then...I got to the part where he was legitimately injured and very well may have forgotten by physical and documented injury, this was even there. No forgiveness and No discretion, eh?

I hope those who could see no room for mercy on this, someday have their OWN issues to face when innocent explanations are laughed at and ignored...even if accurate. This was pretty low class.

Thanks for the catch, OP! S/F!

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Even if he had the brain injury he still had the gun and ammunition in his home before that which was not legal. This is a very tough situation, but unfortunately there is a problem with missing firearms in the army and pistols go missing more than weapons like rifles and there has been a suggestion that it is because these sell much more easily on the street.

That said I am certain that this man was not going to do anything other than what he says he planned to with the weapon, but the law works in a way that still has to punish him. A sad situation, but I think the judge simply could not let him off in this case. Many soldiers feels attached to military gear which is not legal and risk keeping it for themselves so this sort of thing can and does happen.

reply to post by VoidHawk


Lol you have been watching waaaay too many films. Was that a serious post even!?!?

Originally posted by clintdelicious
reply to post by VoidHawk

 

Lol you have been watching waaaay too many films. Was that a serious post even!?!?

Actualy I dont even own a tv
Was it a serious post? It was while I typed A case of speaking before thinking I'll put my dunces hat on.

reply to post by VoidHawk


Well you should do, you'd make an excellent script writer!

Originally posted by OtherSideOfTheCoin
reply to post by okamitengu

 

Ordinarily I would agree but I think there has to be some flexibility he was not keeping the gun for personal use, he forgot it was there and a doctor has agreed that this is entirely possible given his brain injury. It was also possible for him to be given a suspended sentence the judge had other options available for sentencing other than custodial.

he didn't forget it was there, when he brought it into the country, illegally and without permission (most likely smuggled) he conveniently forgot after...

while i support troops, deliberately flouting the law to suit your own personal needs and wants... thats just not cool! and if he gets to do it .. so can I .. Yay for the end of rule of law.

reply to post by okamitengu


Do you lack basic comprehension skills? Or do you choose not to read the whole op before opening your mouth?

Re- read the op and try again..... It would be hilarious, telling and typical if you came to the same ignorant conclusion.
"yay" - What are we, 5?

The bigger the dog the harder they are hunting you.This is the same for all vets.

reply to post by okamitengu


He didn’t smuggle it into the country he left Iraq to chaperone two of his dead friends back to the uk and left much of his kit behind. The colleagues he left behind packed up his kit to be sent back to the UK at the end of their tour. The pistol remained unopened until the police raid. Sargent Nightingale had planned on having the pistol decommissioned and hung up at the sergeant’s mess at sterling lines. Taking into account of his coma and the fact that these guys spend most of their time outside of the UK it is entirely possible that he forgot about the existence of the pistol, for all he knew it could have still be in Iraq.

The judge had the option of passing down a suspended sentence rather than a custodial one, you know like they give to the drug dealers. Normally under different circumstances I would be siding with the judge, but this is one of those cases where there is a reasonable defence for the defendant’s actions. His punishment does not fit his crime, 18 months in jail, no army pay and his family losing their house.

reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin


I think receiving something illegal in the mail would be considered smuggling, no? If you want to truly be an antigun society, you cannot be weak about it. It will not work if you let it go here and there. Possession of an illegal firearm is possession of an illegal firearm. Personally I think it is stupid to not let your military guys have their guns, but I guess that is the american and canadian in me. In most places in the US with tight gun restrictions, military persons have a easier time getting the proper permits, as they are trained with the weapons properly.

Hopefully this will be a lesson for the military guys. If you plan on taking a gun home, and gutting it for display purposes, please gut it before you get home. Don't want to see more guys end up in trouble like that.

reply to post by OtherSideOfTheCoin


18 months in prison for possession of an illegal firearm?

Is this a normal sentence for this kind of offence?

Over here in Holland one would probably only get probation if it was the first time.