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| Undercover officers will not be charged over relationships with women | Undercover officers will not be charged over relationships with women |
| (7 months later) | |
| Prosecutors have decided not to charge four undercover officers for forming sexual relationships with women during their covert missions – but the Metropolitan police is considering whether to bring misconduct proceedings against the officers. | Prosecutors have decided not to charge four undercover officers for forming sexual relationships with women during their covert missions – but the Metropolitan police is considering whether to bring misconduct proceedings against the officers. |
| The women involved criticised the Crown Prosecution's decision, saying it perpetuated the cover-up of the abuse inflicted on them. | The women involved criticised the Crown Prosecution's decision, saying it perpetuated the cover-up of the abuse inflicted on them. |
| Neither the police nor the CPS have identified the four men. | Neither the police nor the CPS have identified the four men. |
| The Crown Prosecution Service had been examining allegations of sexual misconduct involving the officers who infiltrated political groups. | The Crown Prosecution Service had been examining allegations of sexual misconduct involving the officers who infiltrated political groups. |
| In its announcement on Thursday, the CPS said: "In reviewing the case we have considered whether there is sufficient evidence to allow charges of rape, indecent assault, procuring a woman to have sexual intercourse by false pretences, misconduct in public office and breaches of the Official Secrets Act. | In its announcement on Thursday, the CPS said: "In reviewing the case we have considered whether there is sufficient evidence to allow charges of rape, indecent assault, procuring a woman to have sexual intercourse by false pretences, misconduct in public office and breaches of the Official Secrets Act. |
| "Having carefully considered all the available evidence, provided at the end of a thorough investigation, we have determined that there is insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction for any offences against any of the officers." | "Having carefully considered all the available evidence, provided at the end of a thorough investigation, we have determined that there is insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction for any offences against any of the officers." |
| The women said they were dismayed. Helen Steel, the environmental and social justice campaigner who was deceived by undercover police officer John Dines during a two-year relationship, said the decision showed that the cover-up of abuse by undercover police continued. On Twitter, she added: "This is institutional sexism. Protecting officers not women." It is not known if Dines was one of the men examined by the CPS. | The women said they were dismayed. Helen Steel, the environmental and social justice campaigner who was deceived by undercover police officer John Dines during a two-year relationship, said the decision showed that the cover-up of abuse by undercover police continued. On Twitter, she added: "This is institutional sexism. Protecting officers not women." It is not known if Dines was one of the men examined by the CPS. |
| Another of the women, who had children with undercover police officer Jim Boyling, said she was considering seeking a review of the decision. | Another of the women, who had children with undercover police officer Jim Boyling, said she was considering seeking a review of the decision. |
| The CPS had been examining evidence gathered by the internal police investigation into the Special Demonstration Squad, Scotland Yard's covert unit that infiltrated and disrupted hundreds of political groups between 1968 and 2008. The investigation, known as Operation Herne, started three years ago and has yet to be completed. | |
| More than 10 women are taking legal action against the Metropolitan police after they discovered that their one-time boyfriends were undercover officers sent to spy on them and their political colleagues. | More than 10 women are taking legal action against the Metropolitan police after they discovered that their one-time boyfriends were undercover officers sent to spy on them and their political colleagues. |
| In the lawsuit that started in 2011 and has yet to be resolved, they say they have suffered immense emotional trauma after forming "deeply personal" relationships with the undercover officers. | In the lawsuit that started in 2011 and has yet to be resolved, they say they have suffered immense emotional trauma after forming "deeply personal" relationships with the undercover officers. |
| Investigations by the Guardian have revealed that over decades, undercover officers had routinely started intimate relationships, some lasting several years, with campaigners they had been sent to spy on. | Investigations by the Guardian have revealed that over decades, undercover officers had routinely started intimate relationships, some lasting several years, with campaigners they had been sent to spy on. |
| The Metropolitan police said: "Following the CPS's decision the MPS is now considering if misconduct proceedings are appropriate. We are not prepared to discuss the identity of these officers." | The Metropolitan police said: "Following the CPS's decision the MPS is now considering if misconduct proceedings are appropriate. We are not prepared to discuss the identity of these officers." |
| Jenny Jones, the Green party peer who has campaigned on the issue, said the decision was "quite staggering", adding that it would "damage trust in both the CPS and the police. | Jenny Jones, the Green party peer who has campaigned on the issue, said the decision was "quite staggering", adding that it would "damage trust in both the CPS and the police. |
| "The CPS appears not to have looked at the use of sexual relationships as a systematic tactic used by a group of undercover officers during their deployment and that concerns me," she said. | "The CPS appears not to have looked at the use of sexual relationships as a systematic tactic used by a group of undercover officers during their deployment and that concerns me," she said. |
| "We have heard time and again from senior officers that such relationships are completely unacceptable, and yet today's decision by the CPS means these officers have escaped being held to account." | "We have heard time and again from senior officers that such relationships are completely unacceptable, and yet today's decision by the CPS means these officers have escaped being held to account." |