Lynndie England will plead guilty to abusing Iraqi detainees in Abu Ghraib prison, her lawyer said today, about a year after photos of her sexually humiliating inmates made her the face of a scandal that damaged the credibility of the United States military.

The soldier labelled the ringleader in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal started a 10-year prison sentence today, following his conviction by a military jury.

Lawyers for Private Lynndie England attempted today to throw out statements she made when first questioned about Iraqi prisoner abuse, including that guards were just “joking around, having some fun”.

A SOLDIER already convicted in the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal testified yesterday that fellow Army reservist Private Lynndie England was a willing participant in creating the “human pyramid” of naked Iraqi detainees shown in infamous photographs from Iraq.

EARLIER this year, a petite, mop-topped soldier became a central figure in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal that shocked the world when she turned up in numerous photographs, smiling and giving the thumbs-up in the presence of naked, hooded Iraqi detainees.

A military hearing opened today to determine if a heavily pregnant young soldier should be court-martialled for her actions at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, where she was photographed smiling and giving the thumbs-up sign in the presence of naked, hooded detainees.

Lawyers for Army Reservist Lynndie England claim she is being used as a scapegoat in the Iraqi prison abuse scandal, and they hope a military hearing this week will allow them to question senior officials they believe are responsible.