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| Lawrence police smear claims: Mark Ellison QC to lead review | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Reports the police wanted to smear the family of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence are to be investigated by a senior barrister, the BBC understands. | |
| Mark Ellison QC is already looking into allegations of police corruption in the initial investigation of the murder. | |
| Undercover officer Peter Francis says he was instructed in 1993 to find information that could discredit the family and anti-racism campaigners. | Undercover officer Peter Francis says he was instructed in 1993 to find information that could discredit the family and anti-racism campaigners. |
| Scotland Yard has refused to confirm or deny the claims made in the Guardian. | Scotland Yard has refused to confirm or deny the claims made in the Guardian. |
| The home secretary is set to make the announcement about the review later. | |
| As well as conducting the review, Mr Ellison was the lead prosecutor in the trial of Gary Dobson and David Norris, which saw the pair convicted of Mr Lawrence's murder in January 2012. | |
| His investigation into Mr Francis's claims comes after the prime minister called for an immediate investigation. | |
| 'Tarring the campaign' | 'Tarring the campaign' |
| Former Labour Home Secretary Jack Straw told the BBC he would be asking the Independent Police Complaints Commission to investigate the allegations. | Former Labour Home Secretary Jack Straw told the BBC he would be asking the Independent Police Complaints Commission to investigate the allegations. |
| Mr Francis told the Guardian and Channel 4's Dispatches programme he had posed as an anti-racism campaigner in a hunt for "disinformation" to use against those criticising the police. | Mr Francis told the Guardian and Channel 4's Dispatches programme he had posed as an anti-racism campaigner in a hunt for "disinformation" to use against those criticising the police. |
| He said the Metropolitan Police were concerned the reaction to the Lawrence murder might result in rioting similar to that following the beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles. | He said the Metropolitan Police were concerned the reaction to the Lawrence murder might result in rioting similar to that following the beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles. |
| Working as part of the Met's now-disbanded Special Demonstration Squad, which specialised in gathering intelligence on political activists, he said he came under pressure to find "any intelligence that could have smeared the campaign" - including whether any of the family were political activists, involved in demonstrations or drug dealers. | Working as part of the Met's now-disbanded Special Demonstration Squad, which specialised in gathering intelligence on political activists, he said he came under pressure to find "any intelligence that could have smeared the campaign" - including whether any of the family were political activists, involved in demonstrations or drug dealers. |
| Mr Francis, who used the name Peter Black while under cover, says the aim of his operation was to ensure that the public "did not have as much sympathy for the Stephen Lawrence campaign" and to persuade "the media to start maybe tarring the campaign". | Mr Francis, who used the name Peter Black while under cover, says the aim of his operation was to ensure that the public "did not have as much sympathy for the Stephen Lawrence campaign" and to persuade "the media to start maybe tarring the campaign". |
| A Number 10 spokesman said: "The prime minister is deeply concerned by reports that the police wanted to smear Stephen Lawrence's family and would like the Metropolitan Police to investigate immediately. | A Number 10 spokesman said: "The prime minister is deeply concerned by reports that the police wanted to smear Stephen Lawrence's family and would like the Metropolitan Police to investigate immediately. |
| "It is important that there is a process that can command the confidence of Stephen Lawrence's family and the public." | "It is important that there is a process that can command the confidence of Stephen Lawrence's family and the public." |
| Lord Condon, who was Met commissioner from 1993 until 2000, told BBC News he backed an early investigation to establish the truth of the allegations. | Lord Condon, who was Met commissioner from 1993 until 2000, told BBC News he backed an early investigation to establish the truth of the allegations. |
| He added: "I can say categorically that at no time during my time as commissioner did I authorise or condone or was aware of the sort of smear operation that's been described in the Guardian. | He added: "I can say categorically that at no time during my time as commissioner did I authorise or condone or was aware of the sort of smear operation that's been described in the Guardian. |
| "I don't know if it's true or not, but I can certainly say that from a senior level, as far as I'm concerned, there was no such operation." | "I don't know if it's true or not, but I can certainly say that from a senior level, as far as I'm concerned, there was no such operation." |
| London Mayor Boris Johnson, whose responsibilities include oversight of the Met, said he had already spoken to current Met commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan Howe about the claims and pledged to "leave absolutely no stone unturned". | London Mayor Boris Johnson, whose responsibilities include oversight of the Met, said he had already spoken to current Met commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan Howe about the claims and pledged to "leave absolutely no stone unturned". |
| Doreen Lawrence said she was shocked and angry at the disclosure. She said: "Out of all the things I've found out over the years, this certainly has topped it." | Doreen Lawrence said she was shocked and angry at the disclosure. She said: "Out of all the things I've found out over the years, this certainly has topped it." |
| "It just makes me really, really angry that all of this has been going on and all the time trying to undermine us as a family." | "It just makes me really, really angry that all of this has been going on and all the time trying to undermine us as a family." |
| Operation Herne | Operation Herne |
| Duwayne Brooks, who was with Stephen Lawrence when he was killed, has said he will make no comment about the allegations until he has seen the Dispatches programme. | Duwayne Brooks, who was with Stephen Lawrence when he was killed, has said he will make no comment about the allegations until he has seen the Dispatches programme. |
| The Metropolitan Police would not confirm or deny the account given by Mr Francis, but admitted "the claims in relation to Stephen Lawrence's family will bring particular upset to them and we share their concerns". | The Metropolitan Police would not confirm or deny the account given by Mr Francis, but admitted "the claims in relation to Stephen Lawrence's family will bring particular upset to them and we share their concerns". |
| An independent investigation into a number of allegations against former undercover police officers, codenamed Operation Herne is under way. | An independent investigation into a number of allegations against former undercover police officers, codenamed Operation Herne is under way. |
| In a statement the Met said: "Any actions by officers working on or with the Special Demonstration Squad need to be understood by Operation Herne in terms of the leadership, supervision, support, training, legal framework, tasking and reporting mechanisms that were in place at the time." | In a statement the Met said: "Any actions by officers working on or with the Special Demonstration Squad need to be understood by Operation Herne in terms of the leadership, supervision, support, training, legal framework, tasking and reporting mechanisms that were in place at the time." |
| But the force gave the same response to allegations that another undercover officer had helped write the leaflets at the centre of the McLibel trial in the mid 1980s. | But the force gave the same response to allegations that another undercover officer had helped write the leaflets at the centre of the McLibel trial in the mid 1980s. |
| The statement said: "At some point it will fall upon this generation of police leaders to account for the activities of our predecessors, but for the moment we must focus on getting to the truth." | The statement said: "At some point it will fall upon this generation of police leaders to account for the activities of our predecessors, but for the moment we must focus on getting to the truth." |
| Stephen Lawrence, a black teenager, was killed as he waited for a bus in April 1993. | Stephen Lawrence, a black teenager, was killed as he waited for a bus in April 1993. |
| More than 18 years later, in January 2012, Dobson and Norris were found guilty of his murder by an Old Bailey jury after a review of the forensic evidence. | More than 18 years later, in January 2012, Dobson and Norris were found guilty of his murder by an Old Bailey jury after a review of the forensic evidence. |
| In 1999, the Macpherson inquiry into the killing and its aftermath published a report accusing the police of institutional racism. | In 1999, the Macpherson inquiry into the killing and its aftermath published a report accusing the police of institutional racism. |
| Dispatches is broadcast on Channel 4 on Monday 24 June at 20:00 BST. | Dispatches is broadcast on Channel 4 on Monday 24 June at 20:00 BST. |