Stephen Lawrence family and friends targeted by police 'smear' campaign

[oldironside]

A police officer who spent four years living undercover in protest groups has revealed how he participated in an operation to spy on and attempt to "smear" the family of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, the friend who witnessed his fatal stabbing and campaigners angry at the failure to bring his killers to justice.

Peter Francis, a former undercover police officer turned whistleblower, said his superiors wanted him to find "dirt" that could be used against members of the Lawrence family, in the period shortly after Lawrence's racist murder in April 1993.

He also said senior officers deliberately chose to withhold his role spying on the Lawrence campaign from Sir William Macpherson, who headed a public inquiry to examine the police investigation into the death.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun/23/stephen-lawrence-undercover-police-smears

I shouldn't be shocked, but I still am.

[LeftishBrit]

1. I'm shocked too- even after years of misgovernment have turned me into a cynic

Police misconduct with the aim of getting convictions would anger but not shock me. Police misconduct toward the family of a victim does shock me.

[dipsydoodle]

2. Absolutely appalling.

From memory hadn't it already become apparent there was an association between an investigating police officer and the father of one of the accused ?

[oldironside]

3. You're absolutely right, but...

... this takes it to a new low. Looking for dirt for a smear campaign against teh family of a teenage murder victim when they shold have been looking for the kiillers is just nauseating.

Anyone else reminded of Griff Rhyss_Jones portrayal of Constable Savage? That particular piece of satyr was truer than we ever knew.

[dipsydoodle]

5. Yes - Constable Savage does come to mind.

For any non UK readers here this is what we're talking about

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. Yeah - Clifford Norris, father of David Norris, who was eventually convicted

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16097242

But even then, I thought that was about intentionally screwing up the investigation with not collecting evidence properly, not following up leads, and so on - not having enough power, and brass balls, to try to smear the family. This goes well beyond the local police having some corrupt members - it's in a London-wide squad. And they hid this from the inquiry too. Either there were many officers in on the corruption, or 'institutionally racist' is starting to look generous to them - 'personally racist, fraudulent and dangerous to the public' might cover the people who'd set up an operation like this.

[oldironside]

6. An update.

Dozens of undercover officers could face prosecution, says police chief

Dozens of officers could be put on trial for stealing the identities of dead children and sleeping with female activists whom they were spying on, according to the police chief conducting a wide-ranging inquiry into undercover policing conducted by the Met against protest groups.

Mick Creedon, the chief constable of Derbyshire, also said his team would investigate claims from a police whistleblower, Peter Francis, that senior officers wanted him to spy on and even undermine the Stephen Lawrence campaign.

In an interview, parts of which are being broadcast on Channel 4's Dispatches on Monday night, Creedon offered a "100%" assurance the matter would be properly investigated. He added that prosecutors were already being asked to consider whether criminal offences had been committed by generations of undercover operatives who had been planted in protest groups over the past 45 years.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun/24/undercover-officers-police-chief-met

Well, it makes a nice headline, but I'll believe it when I see it.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. Lawrence friend Duwayne Brooks 'bugged by police' in meetings with solicitor

The Metropolitan Police secretly bugged meetings between Stephen Lawrence's friend Duwayne Brooks and his lawyer, the BBC has learned.

Mr Brooks was with the 18-year-old on the night he was killed in a racist attack in 1993 in Eltham, south London.

Mr Brooks and his lawyer were unaware that the meetings were being recorded.
...
A senior police source told the BBC authorisation was given to record two meetings between Mr Brooks, his legal representatives and police officers from the investigation team.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23048266

Police shouldn't need reminding who the victim was in a murder inquiry.