Charge dropped against UK soldier

L/Cpl Larkin has already admitted assault

A charge of forcing Iraqi prisoners to strip has been dropped against a British soldier at a court martial.

L/Cpl Darren Larkin, 30, of Oldham, Greater Manchester, has already admitted one assault.

Two other men are accused of abusing Iraqis at a Basra aid camp in 2003. They deny the charges.

A charge against Cpl Daniel Kenyon, 33, from Newcastle, of aiding and abetting Larkin was also dropped. He still faces other charges.

L/Cpl Mark Cooley, 25, also of Newcastle, denies "simulating" punching and kicking captives, and also placing a bound Iraqi on the forks of a forklift truck.

Cpl Kenyon still faces four charges, including aiding and abetting unknown soldiers to force Iraqi prisoners to simulate sex acts.

The dropping of the remaining charge against L/Cpl Larkin followed a key witness changing his evidence on Wednesday.

Cpl Jonathan Petrice had said he saw L/Cpl Larkin threaten Iraqis with a metal pole and force them to undress.

But under cross-examination at the court in Osnabrueck, Germany, he admitted he could no longer be sure who he had seen.

Processing shop

Cpl Petrice said he had been confused by images of L/Cpl Larkin published in the press.

Judge Advocate Michael Hunter told his panel of seven military officers that they should find L/Cpl Larkin and Cpl Kenyon not guilty of the charge after the prosecuting lawyers said they would not be going ahead with that charge.

None of the accused now face any charges relating to making the prisoners undress.

Evidence of the alleged abuse came to light when a set of photographs was left for processing at a shop in Tamworth, Staffordshire.

The soldiers are all from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

The case continues.