Two British soldiers, who cannot be named, have admitted abusing Afghan civilians at a court martial hearing in Germany. Their patrol commander was cleared of failing in his duty to deal with the offences at the hearing in Sennelager.

One of the soldiers, Soldier X, admitted pulling an Afghan boy's hand towards his crotch while saying "Touch my special place". He pleaded guilty to conduct to the prejudice of good order and service discipline at the start of the court martial. The offence took place while he was on tour in Afghanistan in December 2011.

The soldiers have been granted anonymity due to fears that naming them would endanger their lives and that of their families. Soldier X also admitted insulting another Afghan child between October 16th 2011 and January 6th 2012.

He was cleared of disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind and of forcing an Afghan girl to touch him on a separate occasion.

A second soldier, referred to as Soldier Y, admitted that he was involved in having an Afghan man photographed with a sign which read "Silly Paki" between October 16th 2011 and January 6th 2012. The serviceman pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated offence likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress under the Crime and Disorder Act.

He was initially charged with conduct to the prejudice of good order and service discipline but prosecutor Lt. Col Jane England accepted his guilty plea to the separate offence.

Meanwhile, their patrol commander, referred to as Soldier Z, was cleared of failing in his duty to deal with the offences.

Lt. Col England said it would not be in the public interest or appropriate to proceed against him in the light of the guilty pleas from Soldier X and Y.