SAS sniper 
must face 
retrial 
over gun 
charges

Sergeant Danny Nightingale yesterday pleaded not guilty to illegally possessing a Glock 9mm pistol and more than 300 rounds of ammunition.

He was convicted and sentenced to military detention last year before having his sentence reduced and conviction quashed by Court of Appeal judges.

Yesterday’s ruling means he will face a retrial in July, where he will fight to clear his name.

Speaking outside Bulford Military Court Centre in Wiltshire, Sgt Nightingale thanked his family, including his wife Sally, for their support.

Describing his ordeal in the courts so far, the 38-year-old soldier said: “I wouldn’t wish it on anyone’s family – it’s horrible. That’s not just for Sally, myself and the kids, it’s on the wider family. It’s hard.

“Thanks to everybody, the family who have come from around the world for this, thanks to the public and to the media who have been very supportive throughout.”

Paying tribute to his wife, he added: “Without her, without Sal and the family, I wouldn’t be here now. They’ve been amazing, strong, very robust. I think a lot of people would have crumbled.”

Sgt Nightingale said he was not able to comment any further on the case, but said his wife was happy to field questions from journalists.

Asked about the impact the case had on the family, Mrs Nightingale said: “Our lives are on hold completely. Every day is consumed by this case, all our conversations with our friends and family are consumed by this case.

“We’ve all struggled through it.”

She said the financial pressures were being supported by a charitable organisation – DannyNightingale.org – which was helping raise money for their fight to clear the soldier’s name.

She added: “We’re obviously bitterly disappointed today that we are going ahead with a retrial now. But in some respects there are still a lot of unanswered questions for us.”

At a preparatory hearing to discuss the future of the case, Judge Advocate Jeff Blackett said there was no abuse of process relating to content in secret emails apparently leaked by a Ministry of Defence source, referred to for the first time at the yesterday’s hearing.

He said: “Provided I am satisfied that there has been no bad faith or dishonesty and that the exercise of a prosecutorial discretion has been conscientiously undertaken, I should direct that the matter proceeds to trial.

“I am so satisfied. There is no abuse of process and I dismiss the defendant’s application to stay these proceedings.”