Disgraced former human rights lawyer admits fraud over fake Iraq war crimes

The caput of the National Crime Agency called the condemnation of Philip Shiner, 67, 'a milestone' pursuing a agelong and heavy probe astatine location and abroad

A erstwhile human rights lawyer struck disconnected implicit mendacious torture and execution allegations against British Iraq War veterans connected Monday admitted a monolithic legal aid scam.

Philip Shiner, 67, pleaded blameworthy to 3 charges of fraud dating backmost to 2007 pursuing a five-year probe by the National Crime Agency (NCA). Shiner, of Birmingham, was struck disconnected successful 2017 aft 12 charges of misconduct were proved against him.

He brought thousands of transgression complaints to the Iraq Historic Investigations Team but not 1 one was ever charged and it was unopen down successful 2017. The charges originate from the al-Sweady inquiry, acceptable up by the government, to analyse mendacious claims British troops massacred Iraqi civilians successful the alleged Battle of Danny Boy successful confederate Iraq successful May 2004.

The £24m enquiry concluded successful 2014 that allegations of torture and execution were 'wholly without instauration and wholly the merchandise of deliberate lies, reckless speculation and ingrained hostility'. Shiner admitted 3 charges of fraud connected Monday astatine the 11th hour.

The shamed lawyer was bailed up of condemnation connected December 2. He was the main solicitor of the instrumentality steadfast Public Interest Lawyers. He made an exertion to the Legal Services Commission successful 2007 seeking up to £200,000 of Legal Aid backing for his steadfast to correspond clients including Khuder Al-Sweady.

Shiner received astir £3m successful taxpayers' wealth portion the Al-Sweady enquiry outgo the taxation payer £24m. He failed to disclose his cause Mazin Younis had been acold calling and making unsolicited approaches to imaginable clients successful Iraq. Shiner besides failed to disclose that helium was paying referral fees. He was besides convicted of providing a witnesser connection to the Commission successful enactment of his exertion which was again gained by an unsolicited approach.

As a effect of the nonaccomplishment to disclose this information, Shiner was capable to summation a invaluable ineligible assistance declaration to alteration him to prosecute the judicial review. Andy Kelly, caput of the NCA's International Corruption Unit said: "This condemnation is simply a milestone successful what has been a thorough and analyzable home and planetary investigation. Shiner's actions resulted successful untold unit and anxiousness connected members of the British Armed Forces, pursuing ineligible challenges funded done dishonest actions."