More than 100 spied-on individuals & groups have told the #spycops public inquiry they won't be giving evidence unless they're given more time. The Inquiry has delayed its next hearings by 7 months, but is keeping witnesses to earlier impossible deadlines
Lunchtime report from the spycops public inquiry whenre officer HN1 'Matt Rayner' has been downlplaying his arrests, denying he did things he blatantly did, & trying to wriggle out of the numerous times that he misled courts.
"It's almost like he believes in his own lies" - at the end of the day of the #spycops public inquiryquestioning officer HN1 'Matt Rayner', incisive analysis & comment from Liz Fuller who he deceived into a relationship while undercover
We got to see some more questioning of #spycops officer HN1 'Matt Rayner' this afternoon. Among his array of bullshit denials, he said he wouldn't have handled rescued dogs as he's scared of dogs & doesn't handle them. See the reply for a photo that shows he's lying
As #spycops officer HN1 'Matt Rayner' gives evidence to the 'public' inquiry in secret today, Tom Fowler talks to one of the people HN1 spied on, Claire Hildreth
A weird day at the #spycops public inquiry, we heard about 45 minutes before it went into a secret session that we're not allowed to hear. Tom Fowler & Heather Mendick give incisive analysis of the deeply flawed structure of the entire inquiry
Our report on the Undercover Policing Inquiry questioning of HN32 Michael Couch, Special Demonstration Squad admin officer.
Lots of details on how the unit worked, but he claims complete ignorance about half his spycops deceiving women into relationships
As with other #spycops managers at the Undercover Policing Inquiry, today Malcolm Macleod is being forced to concede there's no way Bob Lambert could've got his info on the Animal Liberation Front without being deeply involved. Quick reaction in the afternoon break:
One of the key #spycops - HN1 'Matt Rayner' - returns for more questioning at the public inquiry tomorrow. Ahead of that, here are some essential points from his 3 days' testimony last month
https://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2025/02/11/what-weve-learnt-spycop-hn1-matt-rayner/
Who is HN1? Next week the #spycops public inquiry finishes the current set of hearings (covering 1983-92) with testimony from a key officer, HN1.
He's been given a last-minute set of special measures to protect his anonymity & the Inquiry won't say why
The Undercover Policing Inquiry has just announced a new timetable - the hearings for 'Tranche 3', examining the Special Demonstration Squad #spycops from 1993 to its closure in 2007, will start on 13 October & are expected to run until March 2026.
Here's our report from animal rights activist Paul Gravett's 2nd day of testimony at the #spycops public inquiry. He was spied on by at least 5 different cops, 1 of whom kept writing to him in his undercover persona for a year after his deployment ended!
At the end of the #spycops inquiry's 1st of 2 days questioning manager HN109 who's not just defending his own actions but also pretty much all of the unit's abuses. His anger at particular other officers and the existence of the inquiry is palpable.
It's not been livestreamed, but Tom & Heather were at the hearing and discuss the day
'The majority of the time he can't recall, but when he can recall it's a lie'.
Spycop boss Eric Docker is on the witness stand at the public inquiry today. Here's the afternoon report, largely discussing Docker's oversight of spycop Bob Lambert when he was part of an Animal Liberation Front cell that put incendiary devices in shops.
As this round of spycops public inquiry hearings approach their end, we're hearing from managers. Today & tomorrow it's Eric Docker, probably the grumpiest witness yet.
Here's Tom Fowler & Eveline Lubbers of the Undercover Research Group after the opening questions
Lunchtime report from the Undercover Policing Inquiry, hearing from admin officer Michael Couch about how spycops were paid overtime to go out on the lash with activists, putting it all on expenses. He was the one spycops went to if they had any problems, yet claims he can't remember a single specific example.
As Tony Waite, boss of the Metropolitan Police's spycops unit in the 1980s, finishes his questioning at the Undercover Policing Inquiry, Tom Fowler discusses what we've learned with Donal O'Driscoll & Chris Brian of the Undercover Research Group
Lunchtime report from the spycops public inquiry, where they've been questioning the undercover unit's boss in the 1980s. This morning's revelations include police passing details of activists to private companies.
Tom Fowler & Chris Brian from the Undercover Research Group analyse:
Live report from the Undercover Policing Inquiry on the second day of questioning the manager Tony Waite. This unrepentant & unreformed Special Demonstration Squad boss shows a complete lack of concern over his officers setting up miscarriages of justice.
Tom Fowler & Chris Brian from the Undercover Research Group discuss what they just heard:
The Undercover Policing Inquiry's been questioning #spycops boss Tony Waite. Tom Fowler talks to the Undercover Research Group's Donal O'Driscoll, summarising how this manager oversaw corrupt & unlawful spying that breached Home Office rules, & nobody seemed to care.
