Judges are due to hear a bail application by former Royal Marine Alex Blackman as he awaits a court date for an appeal against his conviction for murder.
The 42-year-old former Sergeant, from Brighton, is not due to appear in person this afternoon (Friday 16 December) although his wife Claire is at the High Court in London for the bail hearing.
Blackman was convicted three years ago of murdering an enemy fighter in Helmand, in Afghanistan, in 2011 while serving with 42 Commando.
But fresh evidence has been considered by the independent Criminal Cases Review Commission.
The killing was captured on camera. The fresh evidence suggests that Sergeant Blackman was suffering combat stress during what has been described as a “tour from hell”.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission said that “an alternative verdict of unlawful act manslaughter was not available” when the case was previously considered.
And it said that there was “a real possibility that the Court Martial Appeal Court will now quash Mr Blackman’s murder conviction”.
The bail hearing was due to start at 2pm.
