A FATHER has lost his fight with the Indian authorities and been jailed for five years.

Billy Irving, 37, is set to miss the next five years of his young son William’s life.

He was one of six former soldiers from the UK who worked on an anti-piracy ship who have each been sentenced to five years in prison in India.

They were arrested on firearms charges in October 2013 when the ship they were on was found to be full of weapons.

The charges were dropped, but the Indian authorities appealed against the decision and have now won their case.

All 35 sailors and guards on the boat received five-year sentences and were ordered to pay 3,000 rupees (£30).

His heartbroken family were left to digest the news on Monday, with a statement saying: “That’s Billy and the other men all being taken to prison. Palayamokotti prison.

“The first prison they were originally in. No belongings and no idea what’s happening. To be in this position again is unthinkable.

“If any lawyers, politicians, or maritime organisation can help please please please get in touch.

“Literally no idea what to do.”

His “devastated” partner, Yvonne McHugh, says that she plans to fight on and is determined to show that there has been a miscarriage of justice.

Yvonne, who lives in Neilston with the couple’s nine month old son and runs a florist business, said: “After two long years of fighting to get my partner Billy home I’m devastated with today’s verdict. For the next five years our son won’t have a father at home.

“Billy has passed on to me all of the evidence that we couldn’t mention while the trial was going on.

“I intend to release this to the media so that the public can see that the boys did nothing wrong, that everything was legal and that this has been a miscarriage of justice.”

Kirsten Oswald, East Renfrewshire MP, has vowed to continue to fight Billy’s corner.

She said: “This is surprising and disappointing news. I am devastated for Billy Irving, his wife Yvonne and their baby son William.

“I have followed this case closely, and pushed hard for Billy to be returned home, Knowing the circumstances of Billy’s arrest makes this all the more disappointing, because I do not believe that he is guilty of anything.

“He has now been in detention in India, in very difficult conditions, for two years, whilst the judicial system tied itself up in knots, and he and his family have suffered.

“I am seeking urgent answers from the UK Government about what can be done to intervene and secure Billy’s return home.”

Billy himself took to Facebook before his phone, his last means of communication with home, was taken from him.

In a Facebook message he described not “having any idea what was going on.

He said: “All weapon licences were given into court (originals), all ship certificates were given to court, all passports and seaman books, everything was given and judge has told us we are guilty and we are going straight to prison for five years.

“Thank you all for your support. I won’t have any communications soon as we are about to be taken away.

“I still don’t know what is going on.”

Modern piracy is rife in open waters off the Eastern coast of Africa as well as some Middle Eastern countries, with a real threat to international shipping also coming from terrorist groups such as IS.

However, Indian authorities swooped on the US firm’s ship, MV Seaman Guard Ohio on October 12, 2013, claiming it had strayed into Indian waters and that the men in board did not have the correct documentation for their guns and ammunition.

During his first stint in prison, Billy ended up needing hospital treatment after his weight plummeted due to poor nutrition and contracting the stomach bugs which run rife.

And during the Indian prime minister’s visit to the UK late last year, David Cameron discussed the case in private, pushing for a swift resolution after a petition bearing 150,000 signatures was handed in during Narendra Modi’s visit to London.