Shiner's - unhappy people

Miracles happen - dishonest solicitors get caught out. This one's a gem 

 Shiner put innocent men through hell for TEN YEARS 

 Ten years ? That's more than half the time Yewtree's been going on. Now, I'm not going into the history of what wiki refers to as the Iraq Prison abuse scandals - you can read the background - going all the way back to 2003 here 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_prison_abuse_scandals

No, my interest in the case lies in the tactics employed by law firms who appear to latch onto what may well be, a perfectly a legitimate public interest story and turn it into something else. A profit-making something else for them, no less !

The tabloid press did what the tabloid press generally do at the first sign of a good story. They didn't get away with it though did they. One famous head rolled fairly quickly 

 

 Sir Michael had issued the magic words if proven, and, within a day, they were dis-proven. The Press can work fast when it is told to ! 

200 military folk were called to give evidence at the first (?) public inquiry into the allegations in 2013

Was the MOD slow to investigate ? The press public's interest was at an all time high by now. What the hell were these important powerful folks hiding ? The various human rights and public interest lawyers will find out, that's for sure !! 

 This is January 12th 2014 - the original few claims have become hundreds. But the MOD weren't buying it.

The Sheer scale and seriousness of the allegations ...

 The sheer scale and seriousness of the allegations passes the "gravity" threshold to justify an investigation, according to the complaint. It continues "those who bear the greatest responsibility" for alleged war crimes "include individuals at the highest levels" of the British Army and political system. It 

 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/exclusive-devastating-dossier-on-abuse-by-uk-forces-in-iraq-goes-to-international-criminal-court-9053735.html

Blimey, this is serious ! Some pretty powerful folk are being accused in covering up war crimes. It's no longer just a few expendable soldiers who'd risked their lives fighting in some far-away hell hole. 

And then, it went tits-up for the campaigners and more importantly for me, the lawyers ! 

cc

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2877320/Allegations-murder-torture-against-British-soldiers-Iraqi-detainees-deliberate-lies-rules-war-crimes-inquiry.html

This is how Leigh Day solicitors still presents itself today online

Represented soldiers and civilians ? Isn't that those in the trade call, a conflict of interest ? But, some one has to stick up for these folk. Even those who are guilty are entitled to a defence 

http://www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk/defending-public-interest-lawyers/


Sounds a tad familiar does it not guys and gals ? How strange that the argument about numbers, in these cases can be used bth ways. In The Savile case, high numbers denote authenticity, here, it raises suspicions ! Oh well, there's a story to be had out of the real victims now ! LOL, as we say in the trade ! You can always rely on the mail