North East ex-soliders jailed in India for five years
Two North East men have been sentenced to five years in Indian prison for firearms charges.
Nick Dunn from Ashington and Nick Simpson from Catterick have been held in India for more than two years after they were arrested back in 2013.
29 year old Nick - an Afghanistan and Iraq veteran - was working for a US firm protecting ships in pirate-infested seas when Indian authorities seized their vessel.
Despite original charges being quashed, the Supreme Court announced a new trial last year and today the judge delivered a guilty verdict.
This morning Nick told us he's a broken man, as he was escorted to prison. Ahead of the verdict, he told us how important support has been:
“The main person who spurs me on is my sister, she is an absolute star. She gets the term small and mighty now and she deserves it. She’s never given in from day one. She’s pushed our case through every channel physically possible and I can’t wait to see her. I can’t wait to see my mam, but my sister, she is an absolute rock.”
Nick’s sister Lisa tells us they're launching an appeal against the decision, and the fight to get the lads home will not end:
"I haven't given up becasue I know that my brother has done nothing wrong. I won't give up because I know he's totally inncocent. I will not give up until my brother lands on british soil. Nothing's changed."
Nick's dad Jim said our government needs to do more. He said:
"They've all said we've been working behind the scenes to try and resolve this. Behind the scenes is no good to us, it's no good to Nicky. Step in front and fight for these men!"