UK crimes: Four Iraqis citizens win damages of up to £30,000 each
Four Iraqi citizens have won hundreds of thousands of pounds in High Court damages against the Ministry of Defence over ill-treatment and unlawful detention during the Iraq War.
Mr Justice Leggatt ruled the four men were entitled to compensation under the Human Rights Act, with one being awarded more than £30,000.
More than 600 Iraqis had alleged they suffered at the hands of British armed forces who were part of the Coalition forces in Iraq between 2003 and 2009, but their claims were thrown out by the courts in 2016.
But lawyers warned after ruling that the four test cases could now mean the MoD faces paying out millions of pounds in compensation to more than 600 unresolved claims.
In the case of Kamil Najim Alseran, who was captured at his home at the end of March 2003 during the advance on Basra by British forces, the judge awarded £ 10,000 for ill-treatment following his capture, and £ 2,700 for 27 days of unlawful detention.
Abd Al- Waheed, who was arrested in a house raid carried out by British soldiers in Basra city in February 2007, was awarded a total of £33,300.
He was awarded £ 15,000 in ‘ respect of the beating’ he suffered after his arrest, £ 15,000 for what the judge described as ‘ the further inhuman and degrading treatment which he suffered encompassing harsh interrogation, being deprived of sleep and being deprived of sight and hearing’.
He was further compensated £ 3,300 for unlawful detention for 33 days.
More than 600 Iraqis who claimed to have suffered launched their claims for compensation in 2013 - years after the event.
Lawyers said after the ruling that the result of the four test cases could form the basis of settlement of more than 600 unresolved claims in what is known as the Iraqi Civilian Litigation.
The claims were launched in England against the Ministry of Defence after they were prevented from proceeding in Iraq itself, where the coalition armed forces enjoy immunity from legal action.
The claims were given the go-ahead by the High Court in London but were blocked by the Court of Appeal because of a time bar imposed under Iraqi law - a decision which was upheld by Supreme Court justices in 2016.
An MOD spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘Our military personnel served with great courage in Iraq, often working under extremely difficult circumstances.