Disgraced lawyer Phil Shiner could lose honorary doctorate after review

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The University of Kent is reviewing Phil Shiner's honorary doctorate

Controversial human rights lawyer Phil Shiner, who ran the now-defunct Public Interest Lawyers (PIL), was the recipient of an honorary Doctor of Law by the University of Kent in 2012.

But steps are now under way to possibly strip Shiner of the award after 12 misconduct charges were found proved against him by a panel of the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal last week.

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Shiner previously admitted nine allegations of acting without integrity

The university can confirm that it has initiated a review of Phil Shiner's award

A University of Kent spokesman

A University of Kent spokesman said: "In light of the recent decision by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, the university can confirm that it has initiated a review of Phil Shiner's award."

In five of the charges faced by Shiner, the 60-year-old was found to have acted dishonestly, including agreeing to pay "sweeteners" to a fixer, understood to be Abu Jamal, to persuade him to change his evidence to the £31 million Al-Sweady Inquiry.

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Shiner was ordered to pay interim costs of £250,000

Shiner previously admitted nine allegations of acting without integrity, including that he made "unsolicited direct approaches" to potential clients.

A further charge that he acted recklessly by claiming at a press conference in February 2008 that the British Army had unlawfully killed, tortured and mistreated Iraqi civilians during the Battle of Danny Boy was found proved on the basis of his partial admission after the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) dropped an accompanying allegation of a lack of integrity.

179 British soldiers who died during the Iraq War Wed, July 6, 2016

179 UK servicemen and women died during the campaign that followed the invasion of Iraq on 20 March 2003.

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UK military deaths in Iraq

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The case is thought to be one of the most expensive ever brought by the SRA

Shiner was ordered to pay interim costs of £250,000, with a full means test to determine further costs to follow.

The case is thought to be one of the most expensive ever brought by the SRA, with costs expected to exceed the £475,000 reached before the trial.

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