A FORMER British soldier said he was 'disgusted' at the 'brutality' of a senior Queen's Lancashire Regiment officer towards a prisoner in Iraq.

In evidence to the Baha Mousa public inquiry, the soldier alleged his commanding officer at the time, Colonel Jorge Mendonca, punched the man in the side of the face in front of more than 100 Army personnel after a raid on a derelict building.

Three men were arrested after weapons and bomb equipment was found in the 2003 raid, which was not related to the death of 26-year-old Mr Mousa.

The witness, identified only as S038, led search teams during a tour of Iraq from June to October 2003.

He left the Army in 2006 after 24 years' service, but at the time of Operation Telic he was based with Somme Company in the 1st Battalion Queen's Lancashire Regiment.

He said in a statement to the inquiry: "I was disgusted. A CO is supposed to lead by example. I went into the Burma Company office and aired my views.

"I said something along the lines of: 'That was bang out of order. Not only has he done that, he's done it in front of the Company and my search team."

The inquiry heard the former soldier moved his troops out of the way because, he said, he "did not want my men to see the CO's brutality towards a prisoner".

According to the witness, shortly afterwards he was having a cup of coffee in the Company Office when he heard "jeering".

"I went outside to find that all three prisoners had been assaulted; one of their noses was burst and the others were bleeding from their lips," he said.

He told the inquiry he suspected the assault was carried out by a female soldier, who was ordered inside by an officer.