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Police name officers in undercover sex claim case | Police name officers in undercover sex claim case |
(34 minutes later) | |
The Metropolitan Police has officially named two men who had relationships with women while working as undercover officers. | The Metropolitan Police has officially named two men who had relationships with women while working as undercover officers. |
It is the first time in its history that it has confirmed the identities of undercover operatives. | It is the first time in its history that it has confirmed the identities of undercover operatives. |
The pair - Jim Boyling and Bob Lambert - are accused of deceiving the women by having relationships with them without disclosing who they really were. | The pair - Jim Boyling and Bob Lambert - are accused of deceiving the women by having relationships with them without disclosing who they really were. |
The Met is being sued by three women over the issue but denies wrongdoing. | The Met is being sued by three women over the issue but denies wrongdoing. |
The force argues that the relationships were based on "genuine" feelings. | The force argues that the relationships were based on "genuine" feelings. |
Historically to protect the safety of undercover officers it has been police policy neither to confirm nor deny who they are under any circumstances. | Historically to protect the safety of undercover officers it has been police policy neither to confirm nor deny who they are under any circumstances. |
But last month Mr Justice Bean at the High Court ruled that Scotland Yard could no longer rely on this in the cases of Mr Boyling and Mr Lambert, and - in an unprecedented move - the force has now confirmed they did work undercover. | But last month Mr Justice Bean at the High Court ruled that Scotland Yard could no longer rely on this in the cases of Mr Boyling and Mr Lambert, and - in an unprecedented move - the force has now confirmed they did work undercover. |
'Mutual attraction' | 'Mutual attraction' |
The Met Police said Mr Boyling - whose alias was Jim Sutton, a political activist in the 1980s - had relationships with two women in the late 1990s, while deployed covertly. | The Met Police said Mr Boyling - whose alias was Jim Sutton, a political activist in the 1980s - had relationships with two women in the late 1990s, while deployed covertly. |
He later married one of the women and had two children with her. | He later married one of the women and had two children with her. |
Mr Lambert, who went by the name of activist Bob Robinson, had a relationship in the 1980s with a woman he met at an animal rights party, also while he was undercover. | |
According to legal documents, seen by BBC News, the force denies the women were "deceived" and says the relationships occurred because of "mutual attraction and genuine personal feelings". | According to legal documents, seen by BBC News, the force denies the women were "deceived" and says the relationships occurred because of "mutual attraction and genuine personal feelings". |
'Partial victory' | 'Partial victory' |
Scotland Yard says it did not authorise the relationships or "tacitly acquiesce" in them, and it denies they were started as a "deliberate tactic". | Scotland Yard says it did not authorise the relationships or "tacitly acquiesce" in them, and it denies they were started as a "deliberate tactic". |
Harriet Wistrich, a solicitor for the women in this case, said the naming of the officers represented a "partial victory". | Harriet Wistrich, a solicitor for the women in this case, said the naming of the officers represented a "partial victory". |
In a statement, she said: "The police have been pulled kicking and screaming to this first extremely significant development in the litigation brought by the women in their long battle for justice and accountability." | In a statement, she said: "The police have been pulled kicking and screaming to this first extremely significant development in the litigation brought by the women in their long battle for justice and accountability." |
A spokesman for the Met Police said: "Our defence is in line with the ruling given by Mr Justice Bean. | A spokesman for the Met Police said: "Our defence is in line with the ruling given by Mr Justice Bean. |
"The force's position, which we have repeated a number of times, is that long term sexual relationships between an undercover officer and a member of the public is and has never been an authorised tactic." | "The force's position, which we have repeated a number of times, is that long term sexual relationships between an undercover officer and a member of the public is and has never been an authorised tactic." |