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| Police must say if dead children's identities stolen, say parents | Police must say if dead children's identities stolen, say parents |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Bereaved parents have demanded that police reveal whether the identities of their dead children were stolen by undercover officers who spied on political groups. | Bereaved parents have demanded that police reveal whether the identities of their dead children were stolen by undercover officers who spied on political groups. |
| One of the parents told a public inquiry on Wednesday she had been left “quite sick” by the uncertainty over whether police had used the identity of her son who had died at the age of 15-months. Another parent whose son had died at two-days-old said she had suffered profound emotional turmoil and anger. | One of the parents told a public inquiry on Wednesday she had been left “quite sick” by the uncertainty over whether police had used the identity of her son who had died at the age of 15-months. Another parent whose son had died at two-days-old said she had suffered profound emotional turmoil and anger. |
| In a practice that was kept secret for decades, undercover officers stole the identities of dead children to help develop the fictitious personas that they used when they spied on political groups. This was done without the consent or knowledge of the parents. | In a practice that was kept secret for decades, undercover officers stole the identities of dead children to help develop the fictitious personas that they used when they spied on political groups. This was done without the consent or knowledge of the parents. |
| In 2013, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan police commissioner, gave a general apology for the “shock and offence the use of this tactic has caused”. | In 2013, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan police commissioner, gave a general apology for the “shock and offence the use of this tactic has caused”. |
| However police have refused to tell any of the parents that their children had been used in this way. Their refusal is being challenged at a public inquiry into the undercover infiltration of hundreds of political groups since 1968. | However police have refused to tell any of the parents that their children had been used in this way. Their refusal is being challenged at a public inquiry into the undercover infiltration of hundreds of political groups since 1968. |
| Lord Justice Pitchford, who is leading the inquiry, held a hearing to consider whether police have a duty to disclose to parents that the identities of their dead children had been stolen by undercover officers. He is due to publish a ruling at a later date. | Lord Justice Pitchford, who is leading the inquiry, held a hearing to consider whether police have a duty to disclose to parents that the identities of their dead children had been stolen by undercover officers. He is due to publish a ruling at a later date. |
| Related: Met chief sorry for police spies using dead children's identities | Related: Met chief sorry for police spies using dead children's identities |
| The inquiry has been set up by the home secretary, Theresa May, to examine the use of the technique, and a series of other alleged wrongdoing by the undercover spies. | The inquiry has been set up by the home secretary, Theresa May, to examine the use of the technique, and a series of other alleged wrongdoing by the undercover spies. |
| For many years, the spies routinely trawled for hours through archives holding birth and death certificates to identify a dead child whose identity they could in effect resurrect. They researched the background of the child, for example their home or school, to weave together, with other details, a plausible alter ego. | For many years, the spies routinely trawled for hours through archives holding birth and death certificates to identify a dead child whose identity they could in effect resurrect. They researched the background of the child, for example their home or school, to weave together, with other details, a plausible alter ego. |
| The spies were given official documents such as passports and driving licences in the name of the child, so that their fake personas would withstand investigation by suspicious political activists. | The spies were given official documents such as passports and driving licences in the name of the child, so that their fake personas would withstand investigation by suspicious political activists. |
| Police have apologised to 76-year-old Barbara Shaw for using the identity of her son Rod Richardson who died two days after being born in 1973. But police have refused to say whether his identity was allegedly stolen by an undercover officer who appears to have spied on radical protesters between 2000 and 2003. | |
| In 2013, the Guardian reported allegations that the officer had assumed the name of Rod Richardson and told activists that he was born on the same day as Shaw’s son. | |
| Shaw’s barrister, Heather Williams QC, told the inquiry that she had since “experienced profound emotional turmoil and anger”. | Shaw’s barrister, Heather Williams QC, told the inquiry that she had since “experienced profound emotional turmoil and anger”. |
| She said Shaw “still awaits confirmation that her son’s identity was used, an official explanation of the circumstances in which this occurred”, and who approved it without her permission. | She said Shaw “still awaits confirmation that her son’s identity was used, an official explanation of the circumstances in which this occurred”, and who approved it without her permission. |
| Williams said: “In the immediate aftermath of her baby’s death, Ms Shaw suffered depression and found herself engulfed by sadness.” | Williams said: “In the immediate aftermath of her baby’s death, Ms Shaw suffered depression and found herself engulfed by sadness.” |
| After widespread criticism of the tactic in recent years, more than 20 parents have asked police whether their dead children’s identities had been stolen, but the police said they could neither confirm nor deny whether they had been. | After widespread criticism of the tactic in recent years, more than 20 parents have asked police whether their dead children’s identities had been stolen, but the police said they could neither confirm nor deny whether they had been. |
| Related: Second police spy unit stole dead children's IDs | Related: Second police spy unit stole dead children's IDs |
| Police argued that disclosure of this information would expose the undercover officers, adding that they have a duty to protect the spies from harm and to preserve the effectiveness of undercover policing. | Police argued that disclosure of this information would expose the undercover officers, adding that they have a duty to protect the spies from harm and to preserve the effectiveness of undercover policing. |
| The inquiry heard that one of the parents was Gordon Peters, 71, whose second child, Benjamin, died in 1979 after just one week. He said the grief would always stay with him, and the traumatic bereavement had contributed to the breakdown of his marriage. | The inquiry heard that one of the parents was Gordon Peters, 71, whose second child, Benjamin, died in 1979 after just one week. He said the grief would always stay with him, and the traumatic bereavement had contributed to the breakdown of his marriage. |
| Williams, also representing Peters, said: “Thoughts of Benjamin and the loss of his potential are frequently experienced by Mr Peters and while the thoughts recede from time to time, they resurface in all sorts of different ways.” He wants the police to allay his concerns. | Williams, also representing Peters, said: “Thoughts of Benjamin and the loss of his potential are frequently experienced by Mr Peters and while the thoughts recede from time to time, they resurface in all sorts of different ways.” He wants the police to allay his concerns. |
| A third parent, who has been given anonymity, suffered the death of their 15-month-old child in a road accident in 1971. She said she was surprised that the police had refused to assuage her concerns by saying whether her son’s identity had been used by an undercover officer. | A third parent, who has been given anonymity, suffered the death of their 15-month-old child in a road accident in 1971. She said she was surprised that the police had refused to assuage her concerns by saying whether her son’s identity had been used by an undercover officer. |
| Peter Francis, the former undercover officer who has become a whistleblower, has admitted that he stole the identity of a four-year-old dead boy to form part of his fictitious alter ego. He infiltrated anti-racist groups for four years in the 1990s. | Peter Francis, the former undercover officer who has become a whistleblower, has admitted that he stole the identity of a four-year-old dead boy to form part of his fictitious alter ego. He infiltrated anti-racist groups for four years in the 1990s. |
| In a statement on Wednesday, Francis said: “I would like to publicly and unreservedly apologise for the untold and immense grief this fully state-authorised ghoulish practice must have caused the family involved, and indeed all the other families involved.” | In a statement on Wednesday, Francis said: “I would like to publicly and unreservedly apologise for the untold and immense grief this fully state-authorised ghoulish practice must have caused the family involved, and indeed all the other families involved.” |
| Francis believes that the police should give the family of the boy a full explanation of why his identity had been stolen, along with an apology. He has offered to meet the family and “for the sake of closure” has urged all his former colleagues from his undercover unit to do the same. | Francis believes that the police should give the family of the boy a full explanation of why his identity had been stolen, along with an apology. He has offered to meet the family and “for the sake of closure” has urged all his former colleagues from his undercover unit to do the same. |