The British Army’s treatment of Iraqi prisoner Baha Mousa was “appalling” an inquiry has found.

Innocent civilian Mousa had sustained 93 injuries when he died in army custody in Basra in 2003.

The inquiry found that a litany of failures in the Army’s chain of command led to the 26 year old father of two being violently assaulted.

Mousa along with nine other Iraqis were arrested in September 2003 by members of the 1st Battalion The Queen's Lancashire Regiment (1QLR).

The inquiry described Corporal Donald Payne as a "violent bully" who inflicted a "dreadful catalogue of unjustified and brutal violence" on Mousa.

The inquiry also found that the Ministry of Defence’s "corporate failure" led to banned interrogation techniques such as hooding being used by British  soldiers in Iraq.

The inquiry’s chairman, Sir William Gage said: "My findings raise a significant concern about the loss of discipline and lack of moral courage to report abuse within 1QLR.”

"A large number of soldiers, including senior NCOs (non-commissioned officers), assaulted the detainees in a facility in the middle of the 1QLR camp which had no doors, seemingly unconcerned at being caught doing so."

"Several officers must have been aware of at least some of the abuse. A large number of soldiers, including all those who took part in guard duty, also failed to intervene to stop the abuse or report it up the chain of command." He added.

Defence Secretary Liam Fox (pictured) said he would adopt all of the inquiry’s recommendations bar the one that said soldiers should not be allowed to shout during interrogations, a technique which Gage deemed “harsh”.

Fox said: "It is vital that we retain the techniques necessary to secure swiftly in appropriate circumstances the intelligence that can save lives.”