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| Christopher Tappin jailed for 33 months in US arms case | Christopher Tappin jailed for 33 months in US arms case |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A retired British businessman who admitted selling weapon parts to Iran has been sentenced to 33 months in prison by a court in the US. | |
| Christopher Tappin, who was extradited from the UK last February, reached a deal with US prosecutors which led to him pleading guilty in November. | Christopher Tappin, who was extradited from the UK last February, reached a deal with US prosecutors which led to him pleading guilty in November. |
| Tappin, 66, of south-east London, could have faced being jailed for 35 years. | Tappin, 66, of south-east London, could have faced being jailed for 35 years. |
| At Tuesday's hearing in El Paso, Texas, Judge David Briones recommended he be allowed to serve his time in the UK. | At Tuesday's hearing in El Paso, Texas, Judge David Briones recommended he be allowed to serve his time in the UK. |
| The final decision on whether Tappin can return to the UK to serve his sentence rests with the US Bureau of Prisons, a court spokeswoman said. | The final decision on whether Tappin can return to the UK to serve his sentence rests with the US Bureau of Prisons, a court spokeswoman said. |
| Tappin, from Orpington, must turn himself in to start his sentence at the Allenwood prison in Pennsylvania by 8 March. | Tappin, from Orpington, must turn himself in to start his sentence at the Allenwood prison in Pennsylvania by 8 March. |
| 'Will be dreadful' | |
| The retired businessman, who admitted one count of aiding and abetting the illegal export of defence articles, was also ordered to pay a fine of $11,357.14 (about £7,100). | The retired businessman, who admitted one count of aiding and abetting the illegal export of defence articles, was also ordered to pay a fine of $11,357.14 (about £7,100). |
| He admitted that between December 2005 and January 2007 he knowingly aided and abetted others in an illegal attempt to export zinc/silver oxide reserve batteries, a special component of the Hawk Air Defence Missile, to Iran. | |
| Following the sentencing Tappin's wife, Elaine, said she hoped he would have "the mental fortitude to cope with whatever lies before him in the months and years to come". | Following the sentencing Tappin's wife, Elaine, said she hoped he would have "the mental fortitude to cope with whatever lies before him in the months and years to come". |
| Tappin's wife Elaine, who suffers from chronic illness Churg-Strauss Syndrome, was unable to attend the court hearing. | |
| Following the sentencing, she said: "Now I can begin to see light at the end of this long dark tunnel - but remain frustrated that Chris's extradition was granted in the first place. | |
| "Being returned to a US prison will be dreadful for him. He is learning to live with the regrets - it is a chastening experience after a 45-year unblemished business career. | |
| "I'm hoping against hope that he'll have the mental fortitude to cope with whatever lies before him in the months and years to come." | |
| She said she and the couple's son and daughter were touched by the "tremendous support" from friends and strangers alike. | |
| "I pray that the US and UK authorities between them will expedite Chris's repatriation to Britain - so we, and his friends, are able to visit him in prison," she said. | |
| 'FBI sting' | |
| Mrs Tappin vowed to lobby the government to change the law in favour of domestic prosecution over extradition. | |
| She said: "Having seen first hand how the Extradition Act works in practice, I'm dismayed by the damage inflicted on defendants and those close to them. | |
| "The cost is too often either unnecessary, disproportionate, or both. | |
| "We cannot change what has happened to Chris, nor to those who have gone before him, but we can take steps to stop unwarranted extradition being imposed on others." | |
| Tappin, the former director of Surrey-based Brooklands International Freight Services and the former president of Kent golf society, had previously denied attempting to sell batteries for surface-to-air missiles that were to be shipped from the US to Tehran via the Netherlands, saying he was the victim of an FBI sting. | |
| The case followed an investigation which began in 2005 when US agents asked technology providers about buyers who might have caused suspicion. | The case followed an investigation which began in 2005 when US agents asked technology providers about buyers who might have caused suspicion. |
| Those customers were then approached by undercover companies set up by government agencies. | Those customers were then approached by undercover companies set up by government agencies. |
| Robert Gibson, a British associate of Tappin who agreed to co-operate, was jailed for 24 months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to export defence articles. | Robert Gibson, a British associate of Tappin who agreed to co-operate, was jailed for 24 months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to export defence articles. |
| Gibson provided customs agents with about 16,000 computer files and emails indicating he and Tappin had long-standing commercial ties with Iranian customers. | |
| American Robert Caldwell was found guilty of aiding and abetting the illegal transport of defence articles and served 20 months in prison. | American Robert Caldwell was found guilty of aiding and abetting the illegal transport of defence articles and served 20 months in prison. |