TONY Blair has expressed his disgust at the "shocking, appalling" images of Iraqis allegedly being forced to simulate sex acts and being bound and threatened by British soldiers.

But the Prime Minister said the photographs should not be allowed to tarnish the good name of the Armed Forces.

At Prime Minister's Questions he said: "I think everyone finds those photographs shocking and appalling - there are simply no other words to describe them.

"The difference between democracy and tyranny is not that in a democracy bad things don't happen. It is that in a democracy when they do happen, people are held to account. That is what is happening under our judicial system.

"The vast majority of those 65,000 British soldiers who have served in Iraq have done so with distinction, with courage and with great honour."

Meanwhile, a court martial heard yesterday how a senior British Army officer issued an order reminding soldiers they could not assault prisoners five days after the "Operation Ali Baba" abuse scandal.

The hearing in Germany was told that Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Mercer issued the order after allegations were made that arrested Iraqis were "not being treated perhaps as they should".

There were little or no problems with the 3,000 prisoners taken off the battlefield during the Gulf War.

The problems began later, the court martial heard, when Iraqis were arrested for looting and other offences.

Three soldiers, from the 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, are accused of abusing and assaulting Iraqi civilian prisoners at Camp Breadbasket, a humanitarian aid camp near Basra.

Lance Corporal Mark Cooley, 25, and Corporal Daniel Kenyon, 33, both from Newcastle, deny the charges.

Lance Corporal Darren Larkin, 30, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, has admitted one charge of assaulting an unknown male, but denies another charge of forcing two Iraqi males to undress in front of others.

Earlier, Joseph Giret, for Cpl Kenyon, said his client had been described as a war hero who had been responsible for saving the lives of several of his colleagues.

He told the court that Cpl Kenyon was only following the orders given by a superior officer.

The Operation Ali Baba order was given by Major Dan Taylor, in charge of Camp Breadbasket. He told soldiers to catch looters and "work them hard" - an order that was in breach of the Geneva Convention.

Mr Giret said no soldier would ever refuse to carry out an order.

The court martial continues.