Sergeant Alexander Blackman: Royal Marine jailed for life for murder of Afghan insurgent challenges verdict The move by Sergeant Alexander Blackman, who was also dismissed from the Marines when he was sentenced in December, was confirmed today by the Judicial Office. He has lodged applications for permission to appeal against both conviction and sentence. On November 8 a court martial board in Bulford, Wiltshire found 39-year-old Blackman guilty of murdering the insurgent who had been seriously injured in an attack by an Apache helicopter in Helmand more than two years ago. Two other Marines were acquitted. Charges against a further two were previously discontinued. Blackman, who denied murder, had 15 years' experience in the Royal Marines, having joined in 1998, and was in charge of Command Post Omar in Helmand during Operation Herrick 14 in 2011. Blackman completed tours of Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland during his military career, and before a video of the murder came to light, he was being considered for promotion to Colour Sergeant. He shot the unknown insurgent in the chest but said he believed the man was already dead and he was taking out his anger on a corpse. He has said he feels ashamed at his actions, describing them as "a stupid lack of self-control and lapse in judgment." As the fighter lies on the floor convulsing and struggling for breath, Sgt Blackman tells him: "There you are. Shuffle off this mortal coil you c***. It's nothing you wouldn't do to us. He then turned to his comrades and said: "Obviously this doesn't go anywhere fellas. I just broke the Geneva Convention. After his sentencing on December 6, Blackman said he was "devastated" at being handed a life sentence. The married commando, known to friends and family as Al, said he was "very sorry" for his actions, which were filmed on the headcam of a comrade during the fateful patrol in "the most dangerous square mile in Afghanistan." The killing happened five months into an arduous six-month tour of Helmand province in 2011 with Plymouth-based 42 Commando, known as Operation Herrick 14. Sentencing Blackman, Judge Advocate General Jeff Blackett said the commando had betrayed the armed services.