MoD’s £2.3m for disgraced lawyer Shiner
dEFENCE chiefs paid disgraced lawyer Phil Shiner’s firm £2.3million of taxpayers’ money in the three years before it went bankrupt.
The money was used to cover the lawyer’s legal fees, and was given to him on top of the legal aid he received to sue the Ministry of defence over war crimes claims.
Mr Shiner, 61, once named solicitor of the year, was found guilty of professional misconduct in February 2017 for his role in drumming-up cases against troops.
The latest claims will infuriate Britain’s armed forces as the Ministry of defence appeals for more money to plug its overstretched budget.
Afghanistan veteran and Tory MP Johnny Mercer, who sits on the Commons defence committee, told the Sun: ‘You can imagine my views on this at a time when I am constantly being told there is no money in the Mod to look after our people properly.
‘Meanwhile, the hounding of troops continues for many former armed forces personnel, particularly those who served in Northern Ireland.’
Newly released figures revealed that Mr Shiner’s firm, Public Interest Lawyers, received a total of £1,238,916 million in the year 2013-14. He was then paid further sums of £913,058 and £170,594 in 2014-15 and 2015-16, according to the Sun.
He was struck off the legal register in early 2017 after an inquiry found he had repeatedly acted dishonestly. He then declared bankruptcy.
The beginnings of his downfall came during a news conference in February 2008 which paved the way for the £25million Al-Sweady inquiry.
Mr Shiner alleged that the Army had unlawfully killed, tortured and mistreated innocent Iraqi civilians during a clash known as the ‘Battle of danny Boy’ in 2004.
But in december 2014 the judge leading the public inquiry concluded the allegations were ‘wholly and entirely without merit’.
A Ministry of defence spokesman said: ‘We do everything we can to keep legal costs down and get the best value for the taxpayer, however inevitably when litigation is brought against the department legal costs are incurred.’