20 Dec 2017

The Chairman is today issuing a further ‘minded to’ in respect of HN58 (PDF, 288KB) and an update in respect of HN104, “Carlo Neri” (PDF, 306KB) These notes follow three hearings held in closed session to discuss the anonymity applications made by HN15, HN58 and HN104.

After hearing evidence in closed session the Chairman is now ‘minded to’ grant the application for a restriction order for HN58’s real and cover names. HN 58 was a manager of the Special Demonstration Squad, but had also been an undercover officer and the Chairman is of the view that there is a risk arising from the undercover deployment should HN58’s real name be made public. In making this second ‘minded to’ decision the Chairman has stated that HN58 is to give evidence about his managerial duties in full view of members of the public and in his natural voice, adopting measures to conceal his true identity in as far as it does not prevent members of the public from observing his demeanour.

The Chairman has received evidence and heard submissions on an application to restrict the publication of the real name of the former undercover police officer known as “Carlo Neri”. In a closed hearing the Chairman heard from the officer and his former wife on the likely impact on their children of the publication of “Carlo Neri’s” real name. The Chairman has decided to delay making a decision. This delay is to permit discussions to take place between the representatives of “Carlo Neri”, his former wife, the core participants affected by “Carlo Neri’s” activities, and the traditional media, to see if they can agree a way of ensuring that details in respect of “Carlo Neri” can be made known to those who need to know them while avoiding harm to the children.

The Chairman is also issuing Directions in respect of HN58 requesting any submissions from core participants by 4pm on 18 January 2018. The same directions ask for submissions in respect of “Carlo Neri” to be made by 4pm on 31 March 2018; once the Chairman has received views of core participants he will make a ruling on “Carlo Neri’s” anonymity application.

The Chairman has decided to refuse the application for a restriction order made by HN15 for anonymity in respect of real and cover names, reasons will be provided in the New Year.

 

Background

The purpose of the Undercover Policing Inquiry is to investigate and report on undercover police operations conducted by English and Welsh police forces in England and Wales since 1968. The Inquiry will examine the contribution undercover policing has made to tackling crime, how it was and is supervised and regulated, and its effect on individuals involved – both police officers and others who came into contact with them.

The work of the Inquiry ranges across the full scope of undercover policing work and will look at the work of the Special Demonstration Squad, the National Public Order Intelligence Unit and police forces in England and Wales. The Inquiry will also examine whether people may have been wrongly convicted in cases involving undercover police officers, and refer any such cases to a separate panel for consideration. The work of the Inquiry will fall into three modules:

  1. Module one will look at what happened in the deployment of undercover officers in the past, their conduct, and the impact of their activities on themselves and others.
  2. Module two will look at the management and oversight of undercover officers, including their selection, training, supervision and care after the end of an undercover deployment. This section will also look at the law and other rules covering undercover policing.
  3. Module three will make recommendations about how undercover policing should be conducted in future

 

NOTES TO EDITORS

  1. The current process for determining anonymity applications (PDF, 139KB)
  2. Further detail on applications made by the Special Demonstration Squad and the National Public Order Intelligence Unit
  3. The Undercover Policing Inquiry is constituted under the Inquiries Act 2005 (PDF, 207KB)
  4. The Inquiry’s terms of reference were announced by the Home Secretary on 16 July 2015.
  5. The Inquiry’s Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 96KB) document provides more information on the Inquiry more generally, as do published update notes.
  6. The Inquiry’s website is www.ucpi.org.uk and the Inquiry can be found on Twitter @ucpinquiry

For further information please contact the Inquiry’s press officer, Jo Coles: Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07827 818 460