Royal Marine Alexander Blackman could be freed from prison within weeks after the Court Martial Appeal Court on Tuesday sentenced him to seven years for the manslaughter of an injured Taliban fighter in Afghanistan.
The 42-year-old had his murder conviction reduced to manslaughter earlier this month by five judges.
Blackman, from Taunton, Somerset, was convicted in November 2013 by a court martial in Bulford, Wiltshire, and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 10 years. The sentence was later reduced to a minimum of eight years.
Judges earlier this month heard arguments on his behalf that fresh psychiatric evidence would have provided Blackman with a diminished responsibility defence.
Blackman’s wife, Claire, said she was “overjoyed” at his reduced sentence, adding: “This is the moment we’ve all been fighting hard for.... it’s hard to believe this day is finally here.”
At a press conference after her husband’s murder conviction was overturned said she was “delighted at the judge’s decision”.
“This is a crucial decision and one that much better reflects the circumstances that my husband found himself in during that terrible tour of Afghanistan.”
She added that the family hopes to secure a “significant reduction” in his sentence following today’s ruling.