Crime Solicitors

Details of how undercover policemen infiltrated groups of political activists – even to the point of forming intimate relationships without revealing their true identities – may mean hundreds of convictions could be appealed.

The Ministry of Justice has launched a public inquiry into undercover policing, following revelations that undercover police spied on the Lawrence family following the murder of Stephen Lawrence. There are concerns that a police officer involved in the case may have had connections to the father of David Norris – one of the men convicted of killing Stephen Lawrence.

BBC News reports that two animal rights activists jailed in 1987 for bombing a branch of department store Debenhams have already said they intend to appeal their convictions.

The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) was infiltrated by an undercover policeman, whom they allege planted a bomb in Harrow with the aim of obtaining a conviction from the court for their bombing activities.

The undercover officer concerned has denied the allegation.

The announcement could mean more convicted activists appeal their convictions if it is found the conviction relied on evidence obtained as a result of undercover police officers infiltrating organisations like the ALF.

It has previously been revealed that police officers working undercover adopted the names of children who had died in infancy to create a realistic identity for their undercover operations.

The undercover officers who infiltrated the Lawrence family following their son’s murder belonged to the Special Demonstrations Squad (SDS), which was also responsible for infiltrating organisations such as the ALF.

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