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UK soldiers unlikely to be prosecuted over Iraq war crime claims
Jun 1, 2020
British soldiers who have been accused of committing war crimes in Iraq are unlikely to face criminal prosecution.
Independent investigators were asked to look at thousands of allegations made against the British military after the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
But the director of the Service Prosecution Authority (SPA) said just one remaining case was being examined.
Andrew Cayley said the "low level" of offending and lack of credible evidence had led most cases to be dismissed.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Law in Action programme, Mr Cayley said most of those cases were sifted out at a very early stage because of the lack of credible evidence or because the offending was "at such a very low level".
More than 1,000 cases were made by former lawyer Phil Shiner and his firm Public Interest Lawyers (PIL). In 2017 he was struck off as a solicitor after a tribunal found him guilty of misconduct and dishonesty, including false accounts about the actions of UK soldiers.
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Mr Cayley said seven remaining cases had been referred to the SPA, but in six of those cases it was concluded that no charges should be brought.
One case is still being considered, but Mr Cayley admitted that it is now "quite possible" that none of the original allegations will lead to a prosecution.
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