FAMILY problems described as harrowing brought a lighter sentence for runaway North-East soldier Paul Gibson, at a court martial yesterday.

He was told that his sentence was also less than it might have been because the delay in bringing the case to court had been too long.

But Private Gibson, who was absent without leave for 277 days and found himself a job while on the run, was told a period of detention was needed.

The 33-year-old, of Tarrant Street, Middlesbrough, and serving with the Green Howards was sentenced to 30 days' detention.

He admitted being absent from his regiment, now based at Warminster, Wiltshire, from November 1999 to August last year.

The court, at Bulford Camp on Salisbury Plain, heard the Green Howards had been stationed at Belfast Barracks, Osnabruck, in Germany at the time.

Mr Keith Raynor, defending, said the Northern Ireland and Bosnia veteran had stayed away so that he could look after his family following leave after his six-year-old son was badly injured in a road accident.

He was described as a very efficient and very dedicated soldier whose behaviour had been out of character.

The court was told that Private Gibson's commanding officer rated his personal qualities and wanted to keep him in the regiment.