Disgraced human rights lawyer Phil Shiner has admitted to fraudulent activities involving legal aid applications concerning allegations against British soldiers.
Phil Shiner, a former human rights lawyer, has pleaded guilty to committing fraud in three instances related to legal aid applications. These applications pertained to cases where British soldiers were accused of mistreating Iraqi detainees. The sentencing is scheduled for December at Southwark Crown Court.
The fraudulent activities revolved around legal aid applications that failed to disclose crucial information to the Legal Services Commission, now the Legal Aid Agency. In 2007, applications amounting to a potential £200,000 were submitted without revealing that Public Interest Lawyers, Shiner’s Birmingham-based firm, had engaged in unethical practices. These included employing an agent to solicit clients in Iraq and paying referral fees.
Furthermore, Shiner’s submission of a witness statement in support of his application was deemed unethical as it was obtained through unsolicited means. This deliberate nondisclosure enabled Shiner to secure a legal aid contract valued at £3 million, facilitating a judicial review.
The offences were connected to the aftermath of the al-Sweady inquiry, set up to investigate claims from the 2004 Battle of Danny Boy, where British troops were accused of civilian massacres. While the inquiry, costing £31 million, exonerated the soldiers of the most severe allegations, it did uncover instances of detainee mistreatment. Shiner’s firm, along with Leigh Day, acted on behalf of the Iraqi claimants.
Shiner was ultimately disbarred after a tribunal upheld 22 professional misconduct charges, including dishonesty and a lack of integrity, relating to direct client solicitation, prohibited fee arrangements, and witness tampering. His misconduct led to his firm’s closure, and subsequent bankruptcy in 2017.
Commenting on Shiner’s conviction, Andy Kelly of the National Crime Agency’s international corruption unit, remarked it as a significant milestone in a complex investigation with far-reaching international implications. “Shiner’s actions resulted in considerable distress and anxiety for British armed forces personnel, who faced unjust legal challenges funded through fraudulent means,” Kelly stated.
Joining the criticism, Hilary Meredith-Beckham from Cheshire’s Hilary Meredith Solicitors condemned Shiner’s actions as dishonourable, arguing that his conduct unjustly targeted British soldiers, fuelling baseless accusations of war crimes. She criticised the Ministry of Defence for their role, asserting that they failed to protect service members from false allegations.
Meredith-Beckham expressed that while Shiner’s conviction marks progress, it falls short of delivering true justice for those falsely accused. “Lives were shattered, and careers were halted,” she noted, affirming her commitment to pursuing justice against the Ministry of Defence.
Phil Shiner’s admission of guilt underscores the severity of his professional misconduct, highlighting the detrimental impact his fraudulent actions had on many individuals and emphasising the need for continued vigilance in legal practices.
