US soldier jailed for six months after Iraq offences

Source Agence France Presse

A US soldier who abused fellow troops in Iraq and then lied about it was on Saturday sentenced to six months in jail, fined almost 6,000 dollars and demoted, the American military said. Sergeant Jarrett Taylor was one of four US soldiers, all members of B Troop, 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment, based out of Fort Bliss, Texas, who were charged with a range of offences on August 19. Taylor, 23, was convicted at a court martial in Kuwait of cruelty and maltreatment and of making a false official statement, the military said. "He was sentenced to confinement for 180 days, reduction to the rank of Private E-1 (the lowest rank in the army), and forfeiture of 933 dollars in pay for six months," an army statement said.