This is the last article you can read this month
You can read more article this month
You can read more articles this month
Sorry your limit is up for this month
Reset on:
Please help support the Morning Star by subscribing here
THE SPYCOPS inquiry finally identified Mark Cassidy as an undercover police officer yesterday, but one activist he deceived into a relationship criticised the failure to confirm his real name, despite it being in the public domain.
Mr Cassidy, real name Mark Jenner, was acknowledged to have infiltrated five groups as a member of the Metropolitan Police’s Special Demonstration Squad, gathering intelligence on trade unionists, family justice campaigners and anti-fascists.
Alison, who was in a five-year relationship with Mr Jenner, welcomed the inquiry’s decision, but said: “There is no restriction order on his real name, Mark Jenner, so it is disappointing that his real name and the real names of other confirmed officers are not also listed on this table.”
She also criticised “the length of time it has taken the inquiry to publish his name,” given that his real and cover names and his photograph had been published more than five years ago.
Alison said she had been given “no explanation as to why it has taken three years since then to confirm the truth,” adding: “Predictably, I have received no explanation or apology from the Metropolitan Police.”
She said she and other women “have had no disclosure about how these abusive relationships were allowed to happen” and that “none of those responsible has been held to account.”
Alison demanded that the inquiry appoint “a panel of adjudicators who have sufficient expertise and diversity to be able to recognise and challenge sexism, racism and police malpractice” and release “the cover names of all officers and the files they compiled on activists and campaigners” as a priority.