Thread by @copscampaign

Next speaker at the #SpyCopsInquiry is Richard Whittam QC representing Slater & Gordon Clients (12 ex #SpyCops)

Whittam: an uninitiated observer maydeceiving think the Inquiry was just about #SpyCops deceivng women into relationships, but it's much more than that. But it doesn't include blaming individual officers.

Whittam: the Inquiry will examine inappropriate deployment and tactics. Eg management & supervisory structure, targeting & authorisation, reporting on justice campaigns, management's attitude to relationships & commission of crime, welfare of officers & families

Whittam: There are many more issues, but these are of particular importance to my clients. Their service & this Inquiry have had a significant impact on their mental health. We were told the Inquiry would report in 2018 [it was delayed by the police!]

Whittam: Some of my clients are the subject of campaigns to expose their identity. Some of them had relationships but it's important not to judge the fact in isolation - one of these relationships continues to this day

Whittam: in 2015 the Met apologised to some women deceived into relationships by #SpyCops and said it would never be authorised in advance or used operationsally

Whittam: #SpyCops officer Jim Boyling faced investigation for sexual offences for his deceiving of women into sexual relationships. It's a heavy burden to bear.

Rosa, one of the women Boyling deceived into a relationship told the BBC "If you put all these things together, you have a team of officers conspiring to rape" bbc.com/news/uk-wales-…

Whittam: Since 2000 there has been the principle of 'Neither Confirm Nor Deny' if anyone is an undercover officer [Here's @helensteel12 on that campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2016/03/30/hel… ]

Whittam: There is a legal basis for allowing #SpyCops to commit crime when undercover. Now the #CHISBill is brought in as the government see that commission of crime is an essential feature of undercover work getting to the heart of groups that would cause the public harm

Whittam: #SpyCops committing crime is essential for national security and the prevention & detection of crime. So we need to see the Met 2015 apology to women abused by officers 'in context'

Whittam: #SpyCops are now expected to report any relationship or crime, or even communications of a sexual nature. The 2015 apology to women doesn't see the big picture.

Whittam: Is it credible that no manager knew about #SpyCops relationships? did any give approval? Perhaps there are too many for it to be possible to blame individual officers. Some relationships were with people who weren't part of a group being spied on, but this is overlooked.

Whittam: Hindsight is no answer to what system was or wasn't in place. Jim Boyling, in addition to legal action for rape, was subject to misconduct proceedings [they sacked him in 2018 theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/m… ]

Whittam: Perhaps it was justified to have a relationship to build and maintain an undercover persona.

Whittam: None of our clients tasked others to report on the Lawrence campaign. None participated in breaching legal professional privilege.