Woman trooper pleads guilty to Iraq abuse

She said she had "assumed it was OK" when asked to pose holding a leash tied round the neck of a naked Iraqi detainee because she was told to do so by a military policeman.

England appeared in some of the most explicit photographs depicting physical mistreatment and sexual humiliation of prisoners at the jail near Baghdad.

The army reservist, 22, entered her pleas to two counts of conspiracy to maltreat prisoners, four counts of maltreating prisoners and one count of committing an indecent act. In exchange, prosecutors dropped another count of committing an indecent act and one count of dereliction of duty.

If the plea deal is accepted by the judge, Colonel James Pohl, a military jury will decide her punishment following a sentencing hearing. England faces up to 11 years in prison for the crimes.

Rick Hernandez, England’s lawyer, said last week that the defence will present evidence that England has severe learning disabilities and mental health problems.

Questioned about one photo, which showed her holding a prisoner on a leash, England told the judge that Private Charles Graner, the reputed ringleader of the Abu Ghraib abuses, put the strap around the prisoner’s neck when moving him between cells. When the prisoner resisted, she told the judge, Graner said to her: "Hold this, I’m going to take a picture."

Col Pohl asked if the leash was a legitimate way to control the detainee. England replied: "I assumed it was OK because [Garner] was [a military policeman]."