Charge dropped in abuse trial

Another charge was dropped today in the court martial of British soldiers accused of abusing Iraqi prisoners.

Lance Corporal Mark Cooley, 25, was cleared of being photographed while posing as though kicking an Iraqi being detained at an aid camp called Camp Bread Basket in Basra.

The move came only days after another charge was dropped against Lance Corporal Darren Larkin, who was found not guilty of forcing the captured men to strip only moments before they were forced to perform a simulated "sex show".

Larkin, 30, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, has already admitted assaulting one of the prisoners after he was pictured in his boxer shorts standing on top of an Iraqi detainee.

A charge against Corporal Daniel Kenyon, 33, from Newcastle upon Tyne, of aiding and abetting Larkin was also dropped last week. Kenyon still faces a further five charges.

Judge Advocate Michael Hunter today ordered the panel of seven military officers trying the men to find Cooley, also from Newcastle upon Tyne, not guilty of the charge for legal reasons.

He still faces a further two charges including posing for a photograph while pretending to punch an Iraqi prisoner.

Cooley and Kenyon, of the 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, are accused of abusing and assaulting prisoners detained for looting food from the camp in May 2003.

They deny all the remaining charges.

Kenyon was today due to become the first of the accused soldiers to enter the witness box.