A US military policewoman photographed holding a naked Iraqi prisoner by a leash at the Abu Ghrabi prison will face a court martial in January on 19 charges, the US Army said Monday.

Private Lynndie England, 21, faces charges including conspiringto commit cruelty and maltreatment of a prisoner, indecent acts with numerous soldiers and wrongfully creating sexually explicit photographs of herself. She could face up to 38 years in jail if convicted by the military court.

The court-martial is scheduled for 17-28 January, said Lt. Gen.John Vines, commander of the Fort Bragg Army base in North Carolina. England, an Army reservist, stationed at Fort Bragg.

England was seen in several of the leaked photographs showing Iraqi detainees being physically and sexual abused by guards at Abu Ghraib prison. She was shown holding a leash around the neck of an Iraqi detainee in one photograph, which has become a symbol of the notorious prison scandal that shocked the world.

England was arraigned Friday, and did not enter a plea. Her legal team has argued she was following orders by military intelligence agents to soften prisoners up for interrogation.

England is one of seven members of the 372nd Military Police Company charged in connection with the prison scandal. A US Army report said 27 military intelligence personnel were also involved in the abuse.