Iraq abuse woman gets three years

Prosecutors said England had a sick sense of humour

A US woman soldier has been sentenced to three years in jail by a military panel for abusing prisoners at Iraq's Abu Ghraib jail last year.

Private Lynndie England, who faced up to nine years in prison, has also been given a dishonourable discharge.

England, 22, appeared in some of the graphic photos of abuse at the prison.

In a statement hours before the sentence was read out, she apologised to coalition forces in Iraq as well as to detainees and their families.

England, who did not make any final comments, was hugged by her mother and spent some time with her and her 11-month-old son before being walked out of the courthouse with her hands and feet shackled.

She had asked the court to be lenient, saying her baby had changed her life and she did not want to be away from him for too long.

Apology

The former chicken factory worker blamed her involvement in the abuses on her then boyfriend, Private Charles Graner, who is 14 years her senior and the father of her child.

RELATED CASES Spc Megan Ambuhl: guilty plea - lost rank, "other than honourable" discharge Spc Armin Cruz: guilty plea - 8 months in jail, bad conduct discharge Staff Sgt Ivan L Frederick II: guilty plea - 8 years in jail, dishonourable discharge Spc Charles A Graner Jr: found guilty and given 10 years in jail, dishonourable discharge Spc Jeremy Sivits: guilty plea - 1 year in jail, bad conduct discharge Sgt Javal S Davis: guilty plea - 6 months in jail, bad conduct discharge Spc Roman Krol: guilty plea - 10 months in jail, bad conduct discharge Spc Sabrina Harman: found guilty and given six months in jail, bad conduct discharge Q&A: Prison abuse scandal Profile: Lynndie England

"I was used by Private Graner. I didn't realise it at the time," she said.

But in reaching their guilty verdict, the panel of five officers rejected this argument.

It found her guilty on four counts of maltreating detainees, one count of conspiracy and one count of committing an indecent act.

She was acquitted on a second conspiracy count.

Questioned by a defence lawyer, England apologised for the damage caused to fellow soldiers.

"I heard attacks were made on coalition forces because of the photos," she said.

"I apologise to coalition forces and their families that lost their life or were injured because of the photos."

'Tarnished image'

The prosecution, Capt Chris Graveline, had asked for four to six years for England.

"I cannot think of another incident that has more tarnished the image of the US Army," he said.

"Who can think of a person who has disgraced the Unites States Army more?"

It took the panel of five military officers just two hours to reach their verdict on England.

HAVE YOUR SAY Lynndie England is only a pawn in the game Stuart, London Send us your comments

A military prosecutor had argued that England had humiliated prisoners because she enjoyed it and had a sick sense of humour.

In photographs published around the world in April 2004, England was shown holding a naked Iraqi prisoner by a leash, and pointing to a naked inmate's genitals.

England's original guilty plea was rejected at a military tribunal earlier this year.

The military judge then was not convinced that she knew that what she had been doing was wrong.