US marines jailed for more prisoner abuse

Two US marines have been jailed for giving electric shocks to an Iraqi prisoner they were guarding at a detention centre near of Baghdad in early April, months after the Abu Ghraib prison abuse occurred.

Privates Andrew Sting and Jeremiah Trefney, both aged 19, pleaded guilty at a court-martial in Iraq last month, a marine spokesman said today.

According to a military statement, Sting, Trefney and two other marines decided to shock a detainee at the Al Mahmudiya prison in order to discipline him for throwing rubbish outside his cell and speaking loudly.

The Marines attached wires to a power converter, which was used to shock the detainee with 110 volts of electricity as he returned from a trip to the bathroom, the statement said.

Sting pleaded guilty to charges of assault, cruelty and maltreatment, dereliction of duty and conspiracy to assault.

He was sentenced to a year in prison, a reduction of rank, forfeiture of pay and a bad-conduct discharge.

Trefney pleaded guilty to cruelty and maltreatment, dereliction of duty, false official statement, violating a lawful order and conspiracy to commit assault.

He was sentenced to eight months in prison, reduction of rank, forfeiture of all pay, and will receive a bad-conduct discharge.

The two other Marines, who were not identified, are awaiting court action.

The pleas by Trefney and Sting came five days before the highly publicised court-martial hearing for US army Reserve Specialist Jeremy Sivits in the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal.

The Al Mahmudiya prison held about 300 detainees and was guarded by active-duty marines and reservists.