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BBC, 08 Dec 2016

A human rights lawyer who brought claims of torture and murder against British troops has admitted misconduct charges, a tribunal has heard.

Phil Shiner, lead solicitor for the now defunct firm Public Interest Lawyers, accepted nine allegations of acting without integrity and recklessness.

The tribunal heard that Mr Shiner accepted the charges meant he will be struck off at the end of the case.

The MoD has spent more than £100m on Iraq-related claims since 2004.

Among the charges against him, Mr Shiner accepted an allegation that he acted recklessly by claiming at a press conference in February 2008 that the Army had unlawfully killed, tortured and mistreated Iraqi civilians.

Mr Shiner admitted nine more charges in part, accepting he acted without integrity but denying dishonesty.

He denies six further allegations, including misleading the £31m Al-Sweady inquiry and the Legal Services Commission over legal aid and grants.

The tribunal heard that he had submitted a letter making the admissions on the eve of a case management hearing on Thursday.

Andrew Tabachnik, putting the case against Mr Shiner for the Solicitors Regulation Authority, said: "Even on the basis of his own admissions, Professor Shiner accepts this tribunal must strike him off at the end of this case."

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