Iraq 'unlawful killings': Investigations into nearly 60 cases against British soldiers dropped, says MoD

Investigators from the special Iraqi Historic Allegations team found there was 'no criminality established' in 57 cases

Soldiers mount a helicopter July 2, 2004 around the southern Iraqi town of Basra (Getty)

Investigations into almost 60 alleged unlawful killings by British soldiers have been dropped, it has been revealed.

The latest figures from the special Iraq Historic Allegations team within the department found there was "no criminality established" in 57 cases.

Another case was dropped after it was referred to the MoD's special prosecuting authority.

The IHAT unit has investigated 1,500 cases of unlawful killing, rape, torture and sexual violence since it was set up in 2010 but only one case has resulted in a conviction, the Sun reports.

The inquiry chief Mark Warwick has called for the British public to have patience with progress of the £57.2m inquiry.

It comes after Prime Minister David Cameron called for "spurious" legal claims against troops returning from service overseas to be "stamped out".

He said there was a growing "industry" which was "trying to profit from spurious claims lodged against our brave servicemen and women who fought in Iraq".

The National Security Council has been told to produce a plan to stamp out law firms trying to make money from the armed forces.

It will aim to "clamp down on no win, no fee schemes used by law firms, speeding up the planned legal aid residence test, and strengthening investigative powers and penalties against firms found to be abusing the system".

Law firm Leigh Day has already been referred to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for allegedly failing to disclose a key document to the Al-Sweady inquiry into abuses by British armed forces in Iraq.

The firm denies the allegations and told the Independent it would "contest [them] vigorously before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal".