The lawyer who helped quash charges against a former Cumbrian paratrooper has admitted he "never imagined" the court battle would still be raging three years later.

John Armstrong was among 35 men arrested on October 18, 2013,

The ship they were on board had been impounded off the Indian coast the week before, but the men - all employees of anti-piracy firm AdvanFort - had assumed it was an administrative error which would quickly be resolved.

It was simply the beginning of the nightmare for John, now 29, and his family and friends back home in Wigton.

At the time, Stephen Askins, who works for maritime solicitors, Tatham Macinnes, was among those employed to help fight the men's case.

They were accused of illegally possessing firearms in Indian waters.

He was among the team who helped get the men freed on bail after six months in prison, and ultimately got the charges quashed in July 2014.

Mr Askins said: "Three years ago there was a real and reasonable expectation, especially once they got the quashing order, that they would be home.

"It was seen as what we call in legal terms 'innocent passage' - they were doing something entirely legitimate.

"There was a moment when all they needed to do was be given their passports and they would be home."

But the prosecutor announced their intention to appeal, leading to the trial last September and the men's subsequent conviction in January.

Mr Askins and his team came off the case in 2014 following a dispute over payment by AdvanFort, but he was approached by the families of the six Britons following the sentencing this year.

"I'm not formally acting for the men," he explained, "in the sense I'm not being paid. But I'm coordinating the whole thing.

"Three years ago I couldn't imagine that the men would be sentenced to five years in prison."

John's sister, Joanne Thomlinson, is among those leading the campaign in the UK to see the Britons acquitted and returned home.

Joanne, 31, of Blennerhasset, said: "Three years ago I woke to the headline in the Indian news '35 crew and guards of the Seaman Guard Ohio arrested'.

"Complete confusion ensued - it took us days to find out where John and the others were being held and worse, it took us well over two months to find out why they'd been arrested.

"The men were just as in the dark as us."

She recalls a letter from her brother from the end of December 2013, in which he wrote: "Please try to find out why we've been arrested. We know nothing in here."

Joanne continued: "It's beyond heartbreaking for John, for the other lads and for all the families and friends of these men.

"These men have had three years of their lives taken away from them and that can't be undone; all of the time they have missed with their family and friends can't be given back to them.

"We will continue to fight for justice every step of the way until these innocent men can come home to where they belong."

The men are appealing their conviction, but have a separate application going through the courts in which they are applying for a suspension of their jail term pending an appeal.

They were hit with a blow earlier this week, after it emerged the judge hearing the suspension application had moved on and so the application must begin again.

The next legal hearing is due to take place on October 25.