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| Iraq lawyer Phil Shiner struck off over misconduct | Iraq lawyer Phil Shiner struck off over misconduct |
| (12 days later) | |
| A human rights lawyer who brought abuse claims against UK troops after the Iraq War has been struck off for misconduct. | A human rights lawyer who brought abuse claims against UK troops after the Iraq War has been struck off for misconduct. |
| Phil Shiner, from the now-defunct law firm Public Interest Lawyers, had 12 charges of misconduct proved against him by a panel of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. | Phil Shiner, from the now-defunct law firm Public Interest Lawyers, had 12 charges of misconduct proved against him by a panel of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. |
| He had admitted acting recklessly by publicly claiming UK troops unlawfully killed, tortured and mistreated Iraqis. | He had admitted acting recklessly by publicly claiming UK troops unlawfully killed, tortured and mistreated Iraqis. |
| The defence secretary said Mr Shiner had "made soldiers' lives a misery". | The defence secretary said Mr Shiner had "made soldiers' lives a misery". |
| Sir Michael Fallon told the BBC he was "delighted" that Mr Shiner had been "exposed". | Sir Michael Fallon told the BBC he was "delighted" that Mr Shiner had been "exposed". |
| "The decent thing for him to do now would be to apologise," he said. | "The decent thing for him to do now would be to apologise," he said. |
| In five of the charges found proved he was found to have acted dishonestly, including agreeing to pay "sweeteners" to a fixer - named only as "Z" in tribunal papers but understood to be called Mazin Younis - to persuade him to change his evidence to the £31m Al-Sweady Inquiry. | In five of the charges found proved he was found to have acted dishonestly, including agreeing to pay "sweeteners" to a fixer - named only as "Z" in tribunal papers but understood to be called Mazin Younis - to persuade him to change his evidence to the £31m Al-Sweady Inquiry. |
| The five-year investigation ruled in 2014 that allegations of murder and torture made against British soldiers by Iraqi detainees were "deliberate lies". | The five-year investigation ruled in 2014 that allegations of murder and torture made against British soldiers by Iraqi detainees were "deliberate lies". |
| Mr Shiner previously admitted nine allegations of acting without integrity, including that he had made unsolicited approaches to potential clients. | Mr Shiner previously admitted nine allegations of acting without integrity, including that he had made unsolicited approaches to potential clients. |
| Colonel James Coote, who was a major based in Basra, said the accusations brought by Mr Shiner would inevitably have left emotional scars. | Colonel James Coote, who was a major based in Basra, said the accusations brought by Mr Shiner would inevitably have left emotional scars. |
| "We can't turn the clock back," he said. "Nothing will undo the decade or so that my soldiers, their families and indeed my family have been through," he said. | "We can't turn the clock back," he said. "Nothing will undo the decade or so that my soldiers, their families and indeed my family have been through," he said. |
| "Personally speaking it has been difficult, but I feel now that a chapter is certainly behind us - clearly there is still one chapter open which we will not comment on now - but I think certainly it has been a very harrowing experience." | "Personally speaking it has been difficult, but I feel now that a chapter is certainly behind us - clearly there is still one chapter open which we will not comment on now - but I think certainly it has been a very harrowing experience." |
| 'State of avoidance' | 'State of avoidance' |
| Mr Shiner did not attend the hearing, having written to the tribunal to say he was unwell and could not afford to pay for a defence lawyer. | Mr Shiner did not attend the hearing, having written to the tribunal to say he was unwell and could not afford to pay for a defence lawyer. |
| The tribunal heard in December that he accepted he would be struck off as a result of the case, thought to be one of the most expensive ever brought by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). | The tribunal heard in December that he accepted he would be struck off as a result of the case, thought to be one of the most expensive ever brought by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). |
| Andrew Tabachnik, representing the SRA, accused Mr Shiner of being "in a state of avoidance" to prevent proceedings from going ahead in full. | Andrew Tabachnik, representing the SRA, accused Mr Shiner of being "in a state of avoidance" to prevent proceedings from going ahead in full. |
| The hearing finished earlier than expected as a result of Mr Shiner's absence. | The hearing finished earlier than expected as a result of Mr Shiner's absence. |
| As a team leader at PIL, Mr Shiner authorised and procured payments and fee-sharing agreements with the agent, "Z", between 2007 and 2010. | As a team leader at PIL, Mr Shiner authorised and procured payments and fee-sharing agreements with the agent, "Z", between 2007 and 2010. |
| The tribunal also ordered Mr Shiner to pay interim costs of £250,000. | The tribunal also ordered Mr Shiner to pay interim costs of £250,000. |
| A second solicitor from PIL, John Dickinson, was reprimanded by the tribunal and ordered to pay £2,000 costs after he admitted that he failed to keep Al-Sweady clients properly informed about the progress of the inquiry. | |
| SRA chief executive Paul Philip said he welcomed the tribunal's decision to strike off Mr Shiner. | SRA chief executive Paul Philip said he welcomed the tribunal's decision to strike off Mr Shiner. |
| "It is important that solicitors can bring forward difficult cases, but the public must be able to place their trust in them," he said. | "It is important that solicitors can bring forward difficult cases, but the public must be able to place their trust in them," he said. |
| "His misconduct has caused real distress to soldiers, their families and to the families of Iraqi people who thought that their loved ones had been murdered or tortured. | "His misconduct has caused real distress to soldiers, their families and to the families of Iraqi people who thought that their loved ones had been murdered or tortured. |
| "More than £30m of public funds were spent on investigating what proved to be false and dishonest allegations." | "More than £30m of public funds were spent on investigating what proved to be false and dishonest allegations." |
| The tribunal aims to publish its decision within seven weeks, after which Mr Shiner would have 21 days to appeal. | The tribunal aims to publish its decision within seven weeks, after which Mr Shiner would have 21 days to appeal. |
| The Iraq Historic Allegations Team will review cases brought by Mr Shiner and a make a decision over which should no longer be pursued. | The Iraq Historic Allegations Team will review cases brought by Mr Shiner and a make a decision over which should no longer be pursued. |
| Sir Michael said in a statement: "Justice has finally been served after we took the unprecedented step of submitting evidence on his abuse of our legal system. | Sir Michael said in a statement: "Justice has finally been served after we took the unprecedented step of submitting evidence on his abuse of our legal system. |
| "Phil Shiner made soldiers' lives a misery by pursuing false claims of torture and murder - now he should apologise. | "Phil Shiner made soldiers' lives a misery by pursuing false claims of torture and murder - now he should apologise. |
| "We will study any implications for outstanding legal claims closely." | "We will study any implications for outstanding legal claims closely." |