Jailed: Sergeant Alexander Blackman has been given a life sentence for murdering an Afghan insurgent in Helmand province A Royal Marine who murdered an insurgent in Afghanistan said last night he was devastated over the decision to jail him for life. Sergeant Alexander Blackman, 39, was told he would serve at least ten years for murdering the Afghan national in Helmand province in 2011. He has also been dismissed from the Marines in disgrace. But yesterday his commanding officer pledged his ‘full support’ for his comrade, saying Blackman had been ‘tainted’ by experiences described as ‘hell on earth’. Last night a huge wave of support was swelling for the first British serviceman to be convicted of murder on active service abroad since the Second World War.
@highlight
Alexander Blackman was filmed shooting wounded fighter in September 2011
@highlight
Blackman's identity was made public after he was convicted of murder
@highlight
He has been handed a life sentence and will serve a minimum of 10 years
@highlight
The Royal Marine and his wife say they are 'devastated' by the sentence
@highlight
Blackman has also been dismissed with disgrace from the Royal Marines
@highlight
But his commanding officer pledged his ‘full support’ for his comrade
@highlight
Other supporters have vented their anger at the sentence on Twitter
The 6ft 3in commando was told by the country’s most senior military judge that his ‘brutal and savage’ crime had ‘betrayed’ @placeholder’s armed forces and ‘tarnished their reputation’.