He was originally convicted of murder but this was quashed by the Court Martial Appeal Court and replaced with diminished responsibility manslaughter last month.

Five judges ruled that Blackman was suffering from an "abnormality of mental functioning" at the time of the incident, when he was serving with Plymouth-based 42 Commando.

His sentence was reduced to seven years, meaning he could be freed within weeks - a decision his wife Claire Blackman described as "the moment that we have all been fighting hard for".