FORMER Royal Marine Alexander Blackman, who was jailed for life for murdering an insurgent in Afghanistan, has lodged an application to appeal against his conviction and sentence.

Sgt Blackman, of Taunton, was found guilty of murder at a court martial in November and told he would spend at least ten years in jail.

The experienced non-commissioned officer, known as Marine A throughout his trial, was convicted of executing a Taliban prisoner in Helmand Province.

The court heard Blackman shot the insurgent in the chest at close range with a 9mm pistol after a patrol base in Helmand came under attack from small arms fire.

His anonymity was lifted after a ruling in the High Court.

Blackman, a member of 42 Commando in Plymouth, was the first British serviceman since at least the Second World War to be convicted of murder during an overseas deployment.