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Marine guilty of attacking Afghan | Marine guilty of attacking Afghan |
(about 20 hours later) | |
A Royal Marine has been found guilty at a court martial of attacking an Afghan prisoner with a Wellington boot. | A Royal Marine has been found guilty at a court martial of attacking an Afghan prisoner with a Wellington boot. |
The hearing at Bulford Camp, Wiltshire, was told Mohammad Ekhlas was assaulted in Afghanistan after his Royal Military Police guard left him in a tent. | |
Sgt Mark Leader had denied assault causing actual bodily harm to Mr Ekhlas, 48, on 19 March 2009. | Sgt Mark Leader had denied assault causing actual bodily harm to Mr Ekhlas, 48, on 19 March 2009. |
Colleague Capt Jody Wheelhouse admitted the same offence at an earlier hearing. They will be sentenced at a later date. | Colleague Capt Jody Wheelhouse admitted the same offence at an earlier hearing. They will be sentenced at a later date. |
Injuries photographed | Injuries photographed |
The court martial heard Mr Ekhlas was apprehended east of Sangin in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, on suspicion of planting an improvised explosive device. | The court martial heard Mr Ekhlas was apprehended east of Sangin in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, on suspicion of planting an improvised explosive device. |
He was subjected to violence - considered as being legitimate force - after his arrest, the court was told. | He was subjected to violence - considered as being legitimate force - after his arrest, the court was told. |
Mr Ekhlas was then transferred to a base just over a mile away where his injuries were photographed before he was taken to a tent usually used by sick service personnel. | Mr Ekhlas was then transferred to a base just over a mile away where his injuries were photographed before he was taken to a tent usually used by sick service personnel. |
A female Royal Military Police soldier guarding him had to leave the tent for a short time, putting the two Royal Marines in charge. | A female Royal Military Police soldier guarding him had to leave the tent for a short time, putting the two Royal Marines in charge. |
The court heard that Mr Ekhlas was then assaulted by Sgt Leader, of Commando Training Centre, Lympstone, Devon, and Capt Wheelhouse, of 45 Commando, Arbroath, Angus. | The court heard that Mr Ekhlas was then assaulted by Sgt Leader, of Commando Training Centre, Lympstone, Devon, and Capt Wheelhouse, of 45 Commando, Arbroath, Angus. |
Handed over | Handed over |
The Afghan suffered injuries in addition to those shown in the previous photographs, and needed four stitches to his lip, had a cut on his forehead and two of his teeth were loose. | The Afghan suffered injuries in addition to those shown in the previous photographs, and needed four stitches to his lip, had a cut on his forehead and two of his teeth were loose. |
Sgt Leader had claimed he used lawful violence against Mr Ekhlas in self-defence. | Sgt Leader had claimed he used lawful violence against Mr Ekhlas in self-defence. |
But the court heard that the sergeant said of Mr Ekhlas: "I don't know why they brought him back. They should have killed him." | But the court heard that the sergeant said of Mr Ekhlas: "I don't know why they brought him back. They should have killed him." |
A court martial panel found Sgt Leader guilty of the offence after deliberating for three and a half hours. | A court martial panel found Sgt Leader guilty of the offence after deliberating for three and a half hours. |
The court was told Mr Ekhlas was later handed over to the Afghan authorities and released, and cannot now be traced. | The court was told Mr Ekhlas was later handed over to the Afghan authorities and released, and cannot now be traced. |
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