Disgraced Iraq Cases Lawyer Phil Shiner Is Declared Bankrupt

Disgraced Iraq Cases Lawyer Phil Shiner Is Declared Bankrupt
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Disgraced lawyer Phil Shiner who brought false claims against Iraq War veterans has been declared bankrupt.

The solicitor was struck off in February after being found to have acted dishonestly in bringing murder and torture claims against British Iraq War veterans.

Investigations that originated from Mr Shiner and his firm Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) would be assessed and a decision reached over which cases should no longer be pursued, the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (Ihat) said.

Mr Shiner ran the now-defunct Public Interest Lawyers (PIL), and 12 charges of misconduct, which he had denied or partially admitted, were found proved against him by a panel of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.

The Insolvency Service website states the 60-year-old from Birmingham was made bankrupt on Tuesday.

In five of those charges, he was found to have acted dishonestly, including agreeing to pay "sweeteners" to a fixer, understood to be Abu Jamal, to persuade him to change his evidence to the £31 million Al-Sweady Inquiry.

An MoD spokesman said: "The evidence we submitted on Phil Shiner's abuse of our legal system saw him struck off and, with his conduct discredited, we announced the closure of Ihat.

"We intend to recover as much as possible from defending these claims and await the Solicitors' Disciplinary Tribunal full decision before deciding our next steps."

PIL also brought the bulk of cases investigated by Ihat - due to close this summer - which was set up with a budget of £57 million.

The MoD has paid out more than £100 million on legal costs and compensation linked to the war in Iraq, with a large proportion of this over allegations brought by the now defunct PIL.