This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/undercover-with-paul-lewis-and-rob-evans/2016/oct/05/duwayne-brooks-ricky-tomlinson-and-lisa-jones-to-tell-how-police-spied-on-them
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Duwayne Brooks, Ricky Tomlinson, and Lisa Jones to tell how police spied on them Duwayne Brooks, Ricky Tomlinson, and Lisa Jones to tell how police spied on them | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| On the night of April 22 1993, Duwayne Brooks, then 18, saw his close friend Stephen Lawrence murdered by a racist gang. He witnessed Stephen being brutally attacked and then dying on the side of a road. | On the night of April 22 1993, Duwayne Brooks, then 18, saw his close friend Stephen Lawrence murdered by a racist gang. He witnessed Stephen being brutally attacked and then dying on the side of a road. |
| He too was a victim of the attack and the main witness in the investigation into Stephen’s murder. He suffered post-traumatic stress disorder after the attack. | He too was a victim of the attack and the main witness in the investigation into Stephen’s murder. He suffered post-traumatic stress disorder after the attack. |
| But over a long period of time, the police treated him so badly that they were forced to pay him substantial compensation, coupled with an apology, after he sued them on the grounds that they had treated him like a criminal. (See this and this for more details). | But over a long period of time, the police treated him so badly that they were forced to pay him substantial compensation, coupled with an apology, after he sued them on the grounds that they had treated him like a criminal. (See this and this for more details). |
| Brooks was arrested by the police on eight occasions in the seven years after Stephen’s murder for offences that were either dropped, dismissed by a judge, or overturned on appeal. He made a number of complaints about the police’s conduct. | Brooks was arrested by the police on eight occasions in the seven years after Stephen’s murder for offences that were either dropped, dismissed by a judge, or overturned on appeal. He made a number of complaints about the police’s conduct. |
| On Monday Brooks is due to appear at a public meeting to talk about how the police spied on him. Also due to speak are Lisa Jones, who discovered that her partner of six years was undercover officer Mark Kennedy, and actor Ricky Tomlinson. | On Monday Brooks is due to appear at a public meeting to talk about how the police spied on him. Also due to speak are Lisa Jones, who discovered that her partner of six years was undercover officer Mark Kennedy, and actor Ricky Tomlinson. |
| Undercover police gathered intelligence on Brooks, a vulnerable witness to the murder, while he was taking legal action against Scotland Yard. | Undercover police gathered intelligence on Brooks, a vulnerable witness to the murder, while he was taking legal action against Scotland Yard. |
| Details of the surveillance - which have received relatively little publicity - were uncovered by QC Mark Ellison who was commissioned by the then home secretary Theresa May to examine a series of allegations concerning undercover policing. | Details of the surveillance - which have received relatively little publicity - were uncovered by QC Mark Ellison who was commissioned by the then home secretary Theresa May to examine a series of allegations concerning undercover policing. |
| In a critical report, Ellison documented how Brooks’s activities were recorded in 18 intelligence reports over a two-year period. (See here from page 277 onwards). | In a critical report, Ellison documented how Brooks’s activities were recorded in 18 intelligence reports over a two-year period. (See here from page 277 onwards). |
| The undercover police collected personal and tactical information about the civil case that he had initiated against the police. The reports contained, for instance, information about the advice he had received from his lawyers, and his expectations about settling the case. | The undercover police collected personal and tactical information about the civil case that he had initiated against the police. The reports contained, for instance, information about the advice he had received from his lawyers, and his expectations about settling the case. |
| Brooks was also involved in campaigning for justice in the Stephen Lawrence case, and these activities were recorded by the undercover police in their intelligence reports. | Brooks was also involved in campaigning for justice in the Stephen Lawrence case, and these activities were recorded by the undercover police in their intelligence reports. |
| The public inquiry led by former judge William Macpherson had found that the Metropolitan police had failed to find Stephen’s killers because of a “combination of professional incompetence, institutional racism and a failure of leadership by senior officers.” Macpherson had also criticised police for stereotyping Brooks in a racist way and undermining his credibility as a witness. | The public inquiry led by former judge William Macpherson had found that the Metropolitan police had failed to find Stephen’s killers because of a “combination of professional incompetence, institutional racism and a failure of leadership by senior officers.” Macpherson had also criticised police for stereotyping Brooks in a racist way and undermining his credibility as a witness. |
| In his report, Ellison criticised the collection of the intelligence on Brooks saying it should not have been gathered. He found that the Met was motivated partially “to defend its own interests in the fallout of the [Macpherson] public inquiry and it was also vigorously defending liability in the civil proceedings.” | In his report, Ellison criticised the collection of the intelligence on Brooks saying it should not have been gathered. He found that the Met was motivated partially “to defend its own interests in the fallout of the [Macpherson] public inquiry and it was also vigorously defending liability in the civil proceedings.” |
| Ellison pointed out, for instance, that as a basic proposition of the legal system, someone engaged in legal action should not have their private conversations monitored by their opponents. | Ellison pointed out, for instance, that as a basic proposition of the legal system, someone engaged in legal action should not have their private conversations monitored by their opponents. |
| He found that the intelligence gathered had “little value” in terms of policing public order - the stated aim of the undercover operations. | He found that the intelligence gathered had “little value” in terms of policing public order - the stated aim of the undercover operations. |
| Ellison does not disclose which undercover officer or officers gathered information on Brooks. However a likely candidate is an undercover officer who is known only by the code-name N81. | Ellison does not disclose which undercover officer or officers gathered information on Brooks. However a likely candidate is an undercover officer who is known only by the code-name N81. |
| N81 infiltrated an anti-racist group known as the Movement for Justice, according to a senior Metropolitan police source who has been involved in the management of covert operations. | N81 infiltrated an anti-racist group known as the Movement for Justice, according to a senior Metropolitan police source who has been involved in the management of covert operations. |
| Also scheduled to speak at the public meeting next Monday is Lisa Jones, the woman who exposed Kennedy after he had deceived her for years. Police have apologised and paid compensation to her and other women. Lisa Jones is a pseudonym. | Also scheduled to speak at the public meeting next Monday is Lisa Jones, the woman who exposed Kennedy after he had deceived her for years. Police have apologised and paid compensation to her and other women. Lisa Jones is a pseudonym. |
| Read this powerful account of how she unmasked him - it was the beginning of a series of events that has led to the exposure of the police’s long-running operation to infiltrate hundreds of political groups. | Read this powerful account of how she unmasked him - it was the beginning of a series of events that has led to the exposure of the police’s long-running operation to infiltrate hundreds of political groups. |
| Ricky Tomlinson (see here) is pressing for a proper investigation into why police monitored his political activities. Also due to speak is Tamsin Allen, a lawyer at the Bindmans law firm who represents many who were spied on by the police. | Ricky Tomlinson (see here) is pressing for a proper investigation into why police monitored his political activities. Also due to speak is Tamsin Allen, a lawyer at the Bindmans law firm who represents many who were spied on by the police. |
| The meeting - to be held in London - has been organised by the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPS) - further details are here. | The meeting - to be held in London - has been organised by the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPS) - further details are here. |