This article is from the source 'bbc' 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 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23026324

The article has changed 17 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 8 Version 9
Lawrence police smear claims: Mark Ellison QC to lead review Lawrence police smear claims: Mark Ellison QC to lead review
(about 1 hour 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.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.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. Prime Minister David Cameron said he wants to "get the full truth out" about "horrific" allegations and has called for an immediate investigation.
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. Home Secretary Theresa May is due to announce the review later, less than 24 hours after the allegations first appeared in the Guardian.
His investigation into Mr Francis's claims comes after the prime minister called for an immediate investigation. The man chosen to conduct the review, Mr Ellison was the lead prosecutor in the trial of Gary Dobson and David Norris, who were convicted of Mr Lawrence's murder in January 2012.
Their convictions came 18 years after the black teenager was killed at a bus stop in Eltham, south-east London in an unprovoked attack by a gang of white youths.
'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. Mr Francis told the Guardian and Channel 4's Dispatches programme that after the killing he 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. BBC home affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani said the allegations raise wider questions about policing in the era.
"It is important that there is a process that can command the confidence of Stephen Lawrence's family and the public." Mr Lawrence's mother Doreen Lawrence said she was shocked and angry at the disclosure.
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. "Out of all the things I've found out over the years, this certainly has topped it," she said.
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."
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."
"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 While the Metropolitan Police would not confirm or deny the allegations, the man who was in charge of the Met between 1993 and 2000, former commissioner Lord Condon, told BBC News he had no knowledge of any campaign to smear the Lawrence family.
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. "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 said.
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". "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."
'Getting to the truth'
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: "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."
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. 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".
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." Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the investigation had to be both rapid and independent of the police.
Stephen Lawrence, a black teenager, was killed as he waited for a bus in April 1993. And former Labour Home Secretary Jack Straw told the BBC he would be asking the Independent Police Complaints Commission to investigate the latest allegations.
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.
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.