British police accused of secrecy over sex scandal

London – Scotland Yard is bidding for secrecy over legal claims by female activists who say they were tricked into sexual relationships with undercover officers.

The Metropolitan Police was accused yesterday of trying to ‘‘hide its dirty laundry’’. Damages for emotional trauma are being sought by 11 women and one man after allegations undercover officers infiltrated environmental activist groups and engaged in sexual relationships.

The issue came to light when activists exposed Mark Kennedy, an officer who became a prominent figure in direct-action protests.

‘‘Clearly the Met is trying to hide its dirty laundry.’’ Jenny Jones

Kennedy’s unmasking led to the collapse of the case against activists charged with planning to invade a power station and brought a series of complaints from women who said they had affairs with him. Other women have since come forward after discovering they had relationships with other undercover officers. The group claims the alleged deliberate deception caused emotional trauma.

Their cases were lodged in the High Court but the Metropolitan Police is claiming some of the cases should be considered by the secretive Investigatory Powers Tribunal. Claimants taking cases to the tribunal, which has upheld fewer than 1 per cent of complaints since its inception in 2000, have fewer rights than in an ordinary court.

Most of its hearings are held behind closed doors.

The tribunal is not required to give reasons for its judgments, and there is appeal.

The Met has argued that because its undercover operations were authorised under snooping legislation monitored by the tribunal, the claims should not be heard in a normal courtroom.

Critics said the move was an affront to open justice.

The deputy chairwoman of City Hall’s police and crime committee, which monitors the Met, accused the force of trying to hide past activities of its undercover officers.

‘‘Clearly the Met is trying to hide its dirty laundry. These women deserve to have their

no automatic

right

of stories told and for people to understand that what happened to them was a complete betrayal of trust,’’ Jenny Jones said.

The women’s lawyers will argue the law does not sanction sexual relationships with targets and, therefore, the tribunal is an inappropriate jurisdiction.

The Met said undercover officers were ‘‘never authorised’’ to conduct sexual relationships.

Kennedy has previously accused the Met of making him into a ‘‘pariah’’ and said that, while the subject was never broached directly, it was ‘‘impossible’’ his superiors had not known he was having sexual protesters.

The women, who wish to remain anonymous, claim the deceit has caused lasting psychological damage.

One discovered only recently that her son, now 27, was fathered by an undercover police officer, who then disappeared from their lives.

She is planning a legal claim that will test whether the Met should bear some financial responsibility for the child’s upbringing as his birth was the direct result of an undercover operation.

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