A soldier has vowed “not to be silenced” in his quest to get British troops withdrawn from Afghanistan.

Lance Corporal Joe Glenton, who is facing a court martial for refusing to return to the country, used a weekend anti-war demonstration in London to condemn the war in Afghanistan as an “illegal occupation”.

The 27-year-old, of 4 Logistic Support Regiment, the Royal Logistic Corps based at Dalton Barracks, Abingdon, faces a court martial for alleged desertion.

On Saturday, he joined thousands of protesters to urge the Government to bring British troops home.

L/Cpl Glenton was cheered on by a crowd of more than 5,000 Stop The War Coalition protesters in Trafalgar Square.

He said: “I’m here to make a stand beside you because I believe great wrongs have been perpetrated in Afghanistan.

“I cannot, in good conscience, be part of them. I’m bound by law and moral duty to try and stop them.

“I’m a soldier and I belong to the profession of arms. I expected to go to war but I also expected that the need to defend this country’s interests would be legal and justifiable. I don’t think this is too much to ask. It’s now apparent that the conflict is neither of these and that’s why I must make this stand.”

A total of 222 British troops have died since operations in Afghanistan began.

L/Cpl Glenton went absent without leave in 2007 and faces two years in prison.

He said: “The occupation in Afghanistan is at best dubious in terms of legality and morality.

“I won’t be silenced. I’ll keep talking and doing what I think is right. I have to or I’ll have to live with this forever if I don’t.”