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| Duwayne Brooks lawyers shed new light on police decision to bug meeting | Duwayne Brooks lawyers shed new light on police decision to bug meeting |
| (2 months later) | |
| The controversy over the bugging of the main witness to the Stephen Lawrence murder deepened on Tuesday when his lawyers accused police of giving an inconsistent account of the surveillance. | The controversy over the bugging of the main witness to the Stephen Lawrence murder deepened on Tuesday when his lawyers accused police of giving an inconsistent account of the surveillance. |
| Lawyers for Duwayne Brooks published Scotland Yard documents which show how John Grieve, a former senior Metropolitan police officer, approved the recording of a meeting without Brooks's knowledge. | Lawyers for Duwayne Brooks published Scotland Yard documents which show how John Grieve, a former senior Metropolitan police officer, approved the recording of a meeting without Brooks's knowledge. |
| The covert recording took place at the London offices of Brooks's lawyers. Grieve attended the meeting to update Brooks on the progress of the investigation to find Lawrence's killers. | The covert recording took place at the London offices of Brooks's lawyers. Grieve attended the meeting to update Brooks on the progress of the investigation to find Lawrence's killers. |
| After details of the bugging were revealed last month, Grieve said he had authorised the recording to protect the integrity of any evidence that came to light at the meeting. Grieve was at that time in charge of finding Lawrence's killers after the Met was forced to reopen its investigation following a damning official report on the murder. | After details of the bugging were revealed last month, Grieve said he had authorised the recording to protect the integrity of any evidence that came to light at the meeting. Grieve was at that time in charge of finding Lawrence's killers after the Met was forced to reopen its investigation following a damning official report on the murder. |
| However, according to Brooks's lawyers, the newly discovered documents give a contradictory account of the reasons for the recording. The documents indicate that Grieve and another senior officer recorded the meeting to protect themselves from complaints of wrongdoing by Brooks. | However, according to Brooks's lawyers, the newly discovered documents give a contradictory account of the reasons for the recording. The documents indicate that Grieve and another senior officer recorded the meeting to protect themselves from complaints of wrongdoing by Brooks. |
| Before the meeting in May 2000, an unnamed detective chief inspector sent Grieve a confidential memo saying that contact with Brooks and his lawyer, Jane Deighton, was "a delicate matter". | Before the meeting in May 2000, an unnamed detective chief inspector sent Grieve a confidential memo saying that contact with Brooks and his lawyer, Jane Deighton, was "a delicate matter". |
| The purpose of the proposed covert recording was "due to the sensitivity and nature of the meeting, and to afford suitable protection for yourself and I, in light of potential allegations of unhelpfulness, lack of perceived co-operation or other complaint". | The purpose of the proposed covert recording was "due to the sensitivity and nature of the meeting, and to afford suitable protection for yourself and I, in light of potential allegations of unhelpfulness, lack of perceived co-operation or other complaint". |
| The recording, the DCI added, would "provide a precise record of any conversation which might be necessary to counter any future allegations made against police and will clearly show that we have acted with integrity". There would also be a record in case Brooks changed his evidence, the officer said. Grieve is recorded as authorising the recording. | The recording, the DCI added, would "provide a precise record of any conversation which might be necessary to counter any future allegations made against police and will clearly show that we have acted with integrity". There would also be a record in case Brooks changed his evidence, the officer said. Grieve is recorded as authorising the recording. |
| Deighton said recording the meeting was "immoral and unlawful". She said that at the time the Met was supposed to be supporting Brooks after the Macpherson report – on the police's failure to arrest Lawrence's killers – found in 1999 that he had been the "victim of racist stereotyping" by the police. | Deighton said recording the meeting was "immoral and unlawful". She said that at the time the Met was supposed to be supporting Brooks after the Macpherson report – on the police's failure to arrest Lawrence's killers – found in 1999 that he had been the "victim of racist stereotyping" by the police. |
| She said: "Covertly recording confidential meetings between the police, a victim of serious crime and his lawyer is a gross breach of trust. That it was done in the context of making amends after the Macpherson report is cynical, and could not have been better calculated to damage the trust victims of crime would like to have in the police." | She said: "Covertly recording confidential meetings between the police, a victim of serious crime and his lawyer is a gross breach of trust. That it was done in the context of making amends after the Macpherson report is cynical, and could not have been better calculated to damage the trust victims of crime would like to have in the police." |
| Grieve has previously said he regretted any distress, dismay or alarm that his decision to record the meeting may have caused Brooks or Lawrence's parents. The Met has promised to investigate the bugging of this and other meetings. It follows claims by a former undercover police officer, Peter Francis, that he was asked to find dirt on the Lawrences. | Grieve has previously said he regretted any distress, dismay or alarm that his decision to record the meeting may have caused Brooks or Lawrence's parents. The Met has promised to investigate the bugging of this and other meetings. It follows claims by a former undercover police officer, Peter Francis, that he was asked to find dirt on the Lawrences. |
| On Tuesday night Grieve said there was no contradiction between his account of the meeting and the newly discovered documents. He pointed out the documents corroborated his explanation that recording the meeting would preserve any witness evidence provided by Brooks. | On Tuesday night Grieve said there was no contradiction between his account of the meeting and the newly discovered documents. He pointed out the documents corroborated his explanation that recording the meeting would preserve any witness evidence provided by Brooks. |
| Brooks, who was traumatised after he witnessed the murder of his best friend in an unprovoked stabbing in south-east London in 1993, has long alleged a police vendetta against him. In 2006 he received £100,000 compensation and an apology from Scotland Yard over his claim that police had treated him like a criminal. After the murder, Brooks was arrested by police six times without being convicted. | Brooks, who was traumatised after he witnessed the murder of his best friend in an unprovoked stabbing in south-east London in 1993, has long alleged a police vendetta against him. In 2006 he received £100,000 compensation and an apology from Scotland Yard over his claim that police had treated him like a criminal. After the murder, Brooks was arrested by police six times without being convicted. |
| He now advises the London mayor, Boris Johnson, on the police use of stop and search and is a Liberal Democrat councillor. | He now advises the London mayor, Boris Johnson, on the police use of stop and search and is a Liberal Democrat councillor. |
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