The sister of a former soldier imprisoned in India hopes his fight for freedom will soon be over.

Ex-paratrooper John Armstrong, 30, has been battling to be released from custody for four years.

A major breakthrough in the high-profile campaign came this week when the Indian Supreme Court asked the judge hearing his appeal to issue a verdict within 14 days.

It is a move that has given the Wigton man’s family – and those of the other Britons jailed for illegally possessing firearms – fresh hope of a resolution.

Speaking as she visited her brother in India, John’s sister, Joanne Thomlinson, 32, said: “We told the men of the development but they didn’t share the excitement we did because they have been let down too many times before.

“However, we remain optimistic that a verdict will be given this month and we’ll finally have some answers.”

John was among 35 men working as pirate hunters for the American firm AdvanFort when their vessel, the Seaman Guard Ohio, sought refuge from a storm in an Indian port.

They have always maintained their innocence, even publishing copies of their firearms licences, issued by the British government.

They appealed their conviction in November last year but the judge reserved his judgement and has yet to rule on the appeal.

This week’s development came after the court heard an appeal by a Ukrainian man, another of those arrested, who has terminal cancer.