Soldiers' Murder Trial Collapses

A trial of seven British soldiers accused of murdering an Iraqi teenager, which has cost taxpayers an estimated £10 million, collapsed after a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to secure a conviction.

The soldiers, all members of the 3rd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, have been found not guilty of murder and violent disorder.

The soldiers were standing trial accused of murdering 18-year-old Nadhem Abdullah in an attack on a group of Iraqi civilians in al-Ferkah, 60 miles north of Basra, in May 2003.

Judge Advocate General Jeff Blackett directed the military panel hearing the court martial in Colchester, Essex, to clear the seven defendants of all charges against them.

He said: "In relation to all the defendants, after discarding the evidence that is too inherently weak or vague for any sensible person to rely on it, prosecution evidence taken at its highest is such that a reasonable jury or court martial board properly directed could never reach the high standard of proof required to be sure of the guilt of any defendant.

"In those circumstances it is my duty to remove the case from the board now and direct that they return verdicts of not guilty to the charge of murder against all seven defendants."

During the trial Martin Heslop QC, prosecuting, told the court that Mr Abdullah was an "innocent" teenager who died after being subject to a gratuitously violent attack during which the paratroopers used their rifle buts, helmets, fists and feet.

The court heard that blood matching the dead man's DNA was found in a screw recess on Private Samuel May's rifle.

The cleared soldiers are Corporal Scott Evans, 32, Private Billy Nerney, 24, Samuel May, 25, Morne Vosloo, 26, Daniel Harding, 25, Roberto Di-Gregorio, 24, and Scott Jackson, 26.

Before directing the panel to clear the soldiers, Judge Blackett said he considered the investigation into the case had been "inadequate".

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No rap for Iraqi trial liars

IRAQI witnesses who lied on oath at the Paras’ murder trial have escaped prosecution.

And they have been allowed to keep generous payments made to lure them here to -*test*-('")ify.

Three women and a man admitted lying and two more were proved to have lied.

But British laws of perjury and perverting justice do not apply to statements they made in Iraq — and they were not obliged to tell the truth.

It also emerged that military cop Capt Sean Hendy, who led the investigation, is to leave the Forces.

But an Army spokesman said his departure was not specifically related to the end of the trial.