London: A British soldier convicted of a war crime in Iraq says troops there frequently punched and kicked Iraqi prisoners.

Former corporal Donald Payne says he covered up some of the abuses out of sense of "misguided loyalty".

Payne was court-martialed in 2007 for the death of hotel receptionist Baha Mousa, while the Iraqi man was in British custody in 2003.

Payne's evidence comes a few days after Britain's Ministry of Defense admitted that Iraqi civilians detained by British troops during the US-led war have made some 33 allegations of rape and abuse against soldiers. The ministry said it is investigating the claims.

Payne gave his evidence in Monday at a public inquiry into Mousa's death.