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| Undercover policing inquiry to 'expose conduct' | Undercover policing inquiry to 'expose conduct' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The public inquiry into undercover policing may "expose both creditable and discreditable conduct", chairman Lord Justice Pitchford has warned. | The public inquiry into undercover policing may "expose both creditable and discreditable conduct", chairman Lord Justice Pitchford has warned. |
| The proceedings in London will be "the first time that undercover policing has been exposed to the rigour of public examination," he told a court. | The proceedings in London will be "the first time that undercover policing has been exposed to the rigour of public examination," he told a court. |
| Helen Steel, who had a relationship with an undercover officer, said police committed "human rights abuses". | Helen Steel, who had a relationship with an undercover officer, said police committed "human rights abuses". |
| But police said undercover officers can play an important role. | But police said undercover officers can play an important role. |
| Lawyers investigating allegations for the Home Office say they have uncovered more than 80 possible miscarriages of justice relating to undercover policing. | Lawyers investigating allegations for the Home Office say they have uncovered more than 80 possible miscarriages of justice relating to undercover policing. |
| Investigations revealed officers had also had relationships with women while undercover, and had used the names of dead children. | Investigations revealed officers had also had relationships with women while undercover, and had used the names of dead children. |
| Undercover: The allegations made to date | Undercover: The allegations made to date |
| Opening proceedings at the Royal Courts of Justice, Lord Justice Pitchford said: "It seems likely that the inquiry will expose both creditable and discreditable conduct, practice and management. | |
| "At the conclusion of its investigation, the inquiry will report to the home secretary and make recommendations as to the deployment of undercover police officers in future." | |
| The home secretary ordered the review after claims police spied on the family of Stephen Lawrence. | The home secretary ordered the review after claims police spied on the family of Stephen Lawrence. |
| Neville Lawrence, Stephen's father, said more than one judge should oversee the case, or its conclusions should be left to a jury. | Neville Lawrence, Stephen's father, said more than one judge should oversee the case, or its conclusions should be left to a jury. |
| "You have an old saying - two heads are better than one," he said. "Sometimes one person might miss something and the other one can bring them back to where they're supposed to be". | "You have an old saying - two heads are better than one," he said. "Sometimes one person might miss something and the other one can bring them back to where they're supposed to be". |
| And Ms Steel said: "These undercover policing units have committed grievous human rights abuses which are absolutely shocking in a supposedly democratic society. We want to make sure they don't happen again to anybody else, and for that to happen we need the full truth to emerge." | And Ms Steel said: "These undercover policing units have committed grievous human rights abuses which are absolutely shocking in a supposedly democratic society. We want to make sure they don't happen again to anybody else, and for that to happen we need the full truth to emerge." |
| Case study | Case study |
| "Alison" was a member of an independent political group in London in the 1990s when she formed a relationship with a man she knew as Mark Cassidy. They were together for five years and lived together for four. | "Alison" was a member of an independent political group in London in the 1990s when she formed a relationship with a man she knew as Mark Cassidy. They were together for five years and lived together for four. |
| But Mark disappeared suddenly, saying he'd had a row with his mother and was depressed. | But Mark disappeared suddenly, saying he'd had a row with his mother and was depressed. |
| "His disappearance five years after we met was very sudden and unexpected and didn't make sense. I spent a long time trying to find out where he was and why he'd left," Alison told Radio 4's Today programme. | "His disappearance five years after we met was very sudden and unexpected and didn't make sense. I spent a long time trying to find out where he was and why he'd left," Alison told Radio 4's Today programme. |
| She believes claims of depression were part of an "exit strategy" used by officers. | She believes claims of depression were part of an "exit strategy" used by officers. |
| "I knew I had to get on with my life and I did that, but still carried on looking and searching when I could," she added. | "I knew I had to get on with my life and I did that, but still carried on looking and searching when I could," she added. |
| She later found out "Mark" had a wife and children. | She later found out "Mark" had a wife and children. |
| "I've carried on with my life, I've met somebody else who I grew up with as a child which was the only reason I was able to trust them was because I knew that they were who they said they were. | "I've carried on with my life, I've met somebody else who I grew up with as a child which was the only reason I was able to trust them was because I knew that they were who they said they were. |
| "And I've been fortunate enough to have a family, but many of the women who this has happened to have not been so fortunate." | "And I've been fortunate enough to have a family, but many of the women who this has happened to have not been so fortunate." |
| Lord Justice Pitchford's inquiry at the Royal Courts of Justice will look into police infiltration of political and social justice groups in England and Wales since 1968. | |
| The inquiry is expected to be split into three parts: establishing what happened, examining the procedures adopted by police to prevent wrongdoing, and recommendations for the future. | The inquiry is expected to be split into three parts: establishing what happened, examining the procedures adopted by police to prevent wrongdoing, and recommendations for the future. |
| Preliminary hearings are due to start in the autumn and the inquiry is set to last three years. | |
| The inquiry's terms of reference include: | |
| Allegations first emerged in 2011 when a former undercover officer, Mark Kennedy, offered to help defend, in court, six environmental campaigners whom he had infiltrated. | Allegations first emerged in 2011 when a former undercover officer, Mark Kennedy, offered to help defend, in court, six environmental campaigners whom he had infiltrated. |
| That trial collapsed - and later the same year, there were further revelations of undercover relationships, one of which led to a child. | That trial collapsed - and later the same year, there were further revelations of undercover relationships, one of which led to a child. |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By Dominic Casciani, BBC home affairs correspondent | By Dominic Casciani, BBC home affairs correspondent |
| The allegations of wrongdoing by undercover police officers that have emerged since 2011 have been extraordinary. | The allegations of wrongdoing by undercover police officers that have emerged since 2011 have been extraordinary. |
| That steady stream of stories has led to the launch of a major public inquiry into their activities. | That steady stream of stories has led to the launch of a major public inquiry into their activities. |
| The breadth and nature of what is being alleged is almost too big to grasp, but it fundamentally comes down to a simple question of whether elements of the police were out of control. | The breadth and nature of what is being alleged is almost too big to grasp, but it fundamentally comes down to a simple question of whether elements of the police were out of control. |
| Seven key issues the inquiry will examine. | Seven key issues the inquiry will examine. |
| Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said undercover policing was an important tactic, but had to be done legally. | Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said undercover policing was an important tactic, but had to be done legally. |
| He told BBC London: "We, for the police, will make the case that our undercover officers are incredibly brave and they deal with some very dangerous people. | He told BBC London: "We, for the police, will make the case that our undercover officers are incredibly brave and they deal with some very dangerous people. |
| "We think this is a vital part of our toolset and if we don't have it then we don't suffer, but the public might. | "We think this is a vital part of our toolset and if we don't have it then we don't suffer, but the public might. |