Khandro, if this man really had just kept a single pistol as a war souvenir I would have signed the petition to have his sentence reduced or quashed.
But he had 5 guns and over 180 rounds of ammunition including 'Dum-Dum' bullets that are banned by the Geneva Convention even from use in war!
He must have made a significant effort over the years to acquire these weapons, all from illegal sources. The fact that he is an ex-service man with experience of firearms is NOT an excuse, it actually makes the situation worse as he MUST have known very well that what he was doing was illegal and unacceptable.
Under all the circumstances I think the sentence was too short and it should have been at least 5 years!
Again I ask, suppose that every other fact was identical but the man was a British Muslim ex-service man, would the sentence,headlines and the petitions be the same??
I think that in that circumstance he would have been called a terrorist sympathizer , or worse. and would be looking at 15 to 20 years! with calls for the death sentence all over AB! Justice should be 'blind' !