A British marine who killed an injured Afghan prisoner was living in “hellish” conditions while doing his best to look after young soldiers with little support from his superiors, his appeal has been told.
Alexander Blackman, who is challenging his conviction for murder, felt isolated and had a mental illness at the time of the killing, five judges at the court martial appeal court heard.
Blackman’s legal team described him as a John Wayne-type character, a “macho” man who refused to show weakness and who did not realise he had a mental illness.
Jonathan Goldberg QC, for Blackman, gave more details of the conditions he and the marines he was in charge of endured at CP [command post] Omar in Helmand.
He said the base had no roof or lock on the back gate. One marine had said they were exposed to the enemy creeping in at night and cutting their throats, Goldberg told the court.
Conditions were “hellish”, the barrister said. “The environment was austere and hostile. There were almost daily firefights.”
He said the area was littered with bombs – improvised explosive devices (IEDs). “Official statistics show that there was an explosion by IED, whether controlled or hostile, every 16 hours on average throughout the six months of the tour.” He said the most common injuries were to the lower limbs and genitalia.
Goldberg said “vile atrocities” were committed by the Taliban against the soldiers. He said he would not go into the details in open court because they were so disturbing.
The barrister reminded the court that a high-flying marine corps officer, Col Oliver Lee, resigned over how he felt Blackman had been treated.
In a witness statement Lee described the leadership and oversight of Blackman’s commanders as “shockingly bad, and directly causal to Sgt Blackman’s conduct”, said Goldberg. In the six months Blackman was at Omar, he was visited by his commanding officer only twice at most, the court was told.
Goldberg added: “It hardly needs a psychiatrist to point out that the conditions under which Blackman was serving at CP Omar were ripe for mental illness or breakdown.”
The court, packed with supporters of Blackman, including many veterans, has viewed footage of the wounded man’s body being dragged along the ground and the moment Blackman shot the injured Afghan prisoner, which was captured on another marine’s helmet-mounted camera.
The insurgent’s body convulsed after being shot and Blackman could be heard saying: “Shuffle off this mortal coil, you cunt. It’s nothing you wouldn’t do to us.” He then turned to comrades and said: “Obviously this doesn’t go anywhere, fellas. I just broke the Geneva convention.”
Richard Whittam QC, for the director of service prosecutions, has claimed Blackman acted deliberately, making sure he and his team could not be observed by an Apache helicopter or an observation balloon. “That was a rational judgment,” Whittam said.
Blackman, who is serving eight years in prison, watched proceedings via a video link.
The appeal continues.
