FIVE soldiers from a North West regiment facing allegations of war crimes or improper behaviour in Iraq are to appear before courts martial this week.

Three of the men, all from the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, are the first Britons to be accused of inhuman treatment of people under the International Criminal Court Act 2001.

They will appear before tribunals at the Army's Bulford Camp, Wiltshire, on Tuesday, the Ministry of Defence said, for a trial expected to last 16 weeks.

Corporal Donald Payne, 34, faces allegations over the manslaughter of a Basra hotel receptionist, Baha Da'Oud Salim Mousa. He also faces charges of inhuman treatment and perverting the course of justice.

His two colleagues, Private Darren Fallon, 22, and Lance Corporal Wayne Crowcroft, 21, are also charged with inhuman treatment of people. Lance Corporal Crowcroft is also charged with inhuman treatment.

The accused are alleged to have committed offences against Iraqi detainees who were arrested following a planned operation.

A fourth soldier, Sgt Kelvin Stacey, has been charged with assaulting an Iraqi detainee in Basra. The allegation against Sgt Stacey is not a war crime charge.

Colonel Jorge Mendonca, 41, commanding officer in Iraq at the time of the incident, now part of the Army's General Staff, has been charged with negligently performing a duty, contrary to the Army Act 1955.

The case relates to alleged incidents in Basra between September 13 and 15, 2003.

Sgt Stacey, 28, currently based in Cyprus, is alleged to have assaulted a detainee and faces a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm and an alternative charge of common assault.