Hilary Meredith-Beckham is calling for a financial redress scheme for armed forces veterans falsely accused of hideous war crimes in Iraq.
Former human rights lawyer Phil Shiner has today been sentenced at Southwark Crown Court after previously pleading guilty to three counts of fraud linked to false claims made against Iraq war veterans. Shiner was handed a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years.
Shiner, 67, led the pursuit of legal claims against British soldiers accused of ill treatment of Iraqi detainees after the 2003 Iraq war.
Shiner, who was the principal solicitor of Public Interest Lawyers, the defunct law firm, was previously struck off by the Solicitors Regulation Authority in 2017 for peddling false torture and murder allegations against British troops.
Hilary Meredith-Beckham, founder and Chair of Hilary Meredith Solicitors, provided evidence to the Select Defence Committee on the Iraq historic abuse cases, which ultimately contributed to the closure of the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) and is representing veterans falsely accessed of brutality and abuses against Iraqi civilians. In light of Shiner’s conviction, Mrs Meredith-Beckham is calling on the government to apologise to those falsely accused and put in place a financial redress scheme.
Hilary Meredith-Beckham attended today's sentencing at Southwark Crown Court alongside decorated veterans Brian Wood and Bob Campbell, who were both falsely accused of war crimes and pursued by IHAT.
Said Hilary:
“As a result of Shiner’s criminal conduct, thousands of British soldiers were falsely and maliciously accused of war crimes. He instigated a witch hunt based on deceit. The accusations against British troops were totally false, and Shiner illegally pocketed millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money pursuing them."
Added Hilary:
“The falsely accused have paid a huge price - shattered lives, broken marriages, ruined finances, stalled careers, poor mental and physical health.
"It is abundantly clear that the MoD breached the duty of care it owes to our service personnel and veterans. They owe a duty of care in law, under the military covenant, morally and ethically to stand by those who serve. Instead, they allowed IHAT to pursue innocent troops with false evidence of vile war crimes.
“It is now time for the current government to draw a line under this shameful episode, apologise and introduce a financial redress scheme. There is absolutely no need for this process to become mired in litigation with lawyers talking to lawyers and our brave servicemen and women forced to relive their worst nightmares in court. It is time for the government to do the right thing.”
Foremost among the claims against British troops were allegations about the 2004 “Battle of Danny Boy” near Basra, in which members of the Mahdi army, an Iraqi militia, ambushed a British patrol. Shiner claimed that Iraqi civilians had been captured, tortured and executed by British troops in the aftermath of the battle.
At the age of 23, Brian Wood was thrust into the front line in the Battle of Danny Boy. He led a charge across open ground with insurgents firing at just five soldiers. On his return, he was awarded the Military Cross.
But Brian's story had only just begun. Five years later, he was summoned to give evidence at the Al-Sweady Inquiry into allegations of war crimes by British soldiers during the Iraq invasion of 2003.
After years of public shame, justice was finally served and the false accusations of war crimes were exposed for what they were - hideous lies perpetuated by Phil Shiner.
The Al-Sweady Inquiry, which cost £24 million, concluded in 2014 that allegations of torture and murder were “wholly without foundation and entirely the product of deliberate lies, reckless speculation and ingrained hostility”.
Brian Wood is backing Hilary Meredith-Beckham’s call for a financial redress scheme. He said:
"The allegations were absolutely horrific - unlawful killing, mutilation and mistreatment of prisoners of war. That just did not happen. Phil Shiner's criminal conduct has left a trail of devastation. Lives have been ruined. Innocent men and women have been driven to the brink of suicide. I fully support Hilary Meredith-Beckham's call for a financial redress scheme. Today, the legal system dealt with Phil Shiner. Now it needs to stand up for the men and woman whose lives he destroyed."
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