British soldier to stand trial

A British soldier is to stand trial after a 13-year-old boy was shot in Iraq, the Attorney General revealed today.

In a written statement to Parliament, Lord Goldsmith said that on 19 June the Army Prosecuting Authority said that Private Alexander Johnston, of the 1st Battalion of the King's Own Scottish Borderers, should stand trial on one offence of unlawful wounding.

There is also an alternative charge of an offence under section 69 of the Army Act 1955 in relation to negligent handling of a weapon. The matter relates to the non-fatal shooting of the boy in September.

No date has been set for either a trial or a preliminary hearing, Lord Goldsmith added.

Pte Johnston's case is the latest to be formally prosecuted following investigations by military legal specialists.

Controversy over the behaviour of British troops was triggered last month when the Ministry of Defence admitted the number of investigations into civilian deaths and injuries in Iraq was more than double that previously announced. Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram revealed that 75 military investigat ions had been launched in the wake of the row over prisoner abuse at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib jail. The minister said that of the total, 23 were still in progress, 31 concluded with no further action and seven were pending a decision to prosecute.