AN SAS hero who was jailed for 15 months after being found with a war trophy in his cellar will not have his sentence reduced despite a petition signed by over 161,000 people.

Albert Patterson, 65, was sentenced to 15 months in prison at Hereford Crown Court in April after pleading guilty to keeping a 9mm self-loading pistol in his cellar which was taken from an Argentinian officer to remind him of friends killed in the conflict.

Following the exclusive story in the Hereford Times, The Sun newspaper launched an appeal for him to be released which was signed by more than 161,000 people.

Patterson appealed to have his jail term reduced but was today told by judges that his sentence was ‘already lenient’.

 The pistol was found by police along with ammunition and four Enfield at Patterson’s former Hereford home after his ex-wife called police to report that jewellery had gone missing.

Judge Christopher Plunkett told Hereford Crown Court on Wednesday that he had been privileged to see Patterson’s service record but parliamentary legislation left him with little choice but to send the former soldier to prison.

Scott Coughtrie, defending, said Patterson had an illustrious career and served for 22 years in the military, first in the parachute regiment and then the SAS.

“He spent a great deal of time abroad protecting our country and our way of life,” he said.

“In his history he has dealt with the most sensitive and dangerous operations this country is to bare.

“These weapons were never loaded or used in the UK and had never been in the public domain.

“He said he received said pistol as a trophy of war from the Falklands and the ammunition during his military service."