The fiancée of one of six British pirate hunters jailed in India for weapons offences is hoping the ex-soldiers will be back home for Christmas after spending four years behind bars.

Billy Irving, 37, and his colleagues were found guilty of having illegal weapons on their ship when it strayed into Indian waters without permission in October 2012.

After being held in pre-trial custody, men - all anti-piracy security guards - were sentenced to five years in jail in January last year.

They were jailed even though they had papers confirming that they were in possession of the weapons legally, the Daily Record reports.

Billy's fiancée, Yvonne MacHugh, 28, has said a verdict on their appeal is expected in the next two weeks, giving her hope that they will soon be freed.

Yvone, holding their son William, hopes Billy will be back for Christmas (
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Yvonne says an appeal is being heard in the next two weeks

The news has filled the men's loved ones with hope, as they prepare for their Christmas wish to come true.

They have been campaigning for their release from a jail in Chennai.

The men were all working for the US maritime security firm AdvanFort providing anti-piracy protection in the Indian Ocean when their ship was detained.

Yvonne and other loved ones have been campaigning for the men's release (
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The five other men are Nick Dunn, 31, from Ashington, Northumberland; John Armstrong, 30, of Wigton, Cumbria; Nicholas Simpson, 47, of Catterick, North Yorkshire; Ray Tindall, 42, of Chester; Paul Towers, 54, originally from Bootle, but living in Pocklington, East Yorkshire.

Billy's lawyer told Yvonne they are expecting a written instruction from the Supreme Court in India to the High Court to give a verdict on the men's long-running appeal.

She said: "So finally after two years of them being in prison, and two years of us appealing this, we might get a verdict within the next two weeks.

Billy and five other Brits have been sentenced to five years in prison
The former soldiers have been locked up in India since 2012 (
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"I shouldn't be getting my hopes up but I really am and I hope they are home for Christmas.

"It's becoming more and more of a reality with every hour that passes."

Yvonne from Neilston, East Renfrewshire, is in Chennai to discuss developments and has visited Billy.

Paul Towers with his wife Ann (
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John Armstrong (right) with a Ukrainian guard (
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She said he was "looking well" and was "optimistic".

She added: "Now with this, one of the biggest developments we have had in the last two years, in fact it is probably the only bit of movement we have had.

"I just hope, wish and pray that he is home for Christmas and it does seem slightly more likely than it did a few days ago."

Nick Dunn is one of the six Brits in jail in Chennai (
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Speaking of the news from India, Yvonne said: "It's really exciting. I could barely sleep. I have just been on such a high all day.

"There has been a lot of lows obviously while we have been here and it's been very exhausting.

"To get this news while we are here and be able to have the privilege and the honour of going in tomorrow and telling the men themselves and seeing how happy they'll be about it.

"It's going to give them such a lift. I think it fills us all with hope that we will get our Christmas wish and we could have the men home. So fingers crossed."

The men were detained on the MV Seaman Guard Ohio

Mark Field, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Asia, met the men in prison last month to give assurances British officials are doing "everything we can" to help.

He said: "These men have been separated from their families for four years and have had an incredibly difficult experience.

"They are adamant that they are innocent of the crime they are in prison for.

"It is not for us to tell India's independent justice system what to do, we cannot and should not, but we can make clear the importance we place on this case."