Key Takeaways
- An undercover officer, Mark Jenner, has admitted to deceiving a woman, Alison, into a five-year relationship while infiltrating leftwing campaigns
- Jenner concealed his true identity and marital status from Alison, who wanted to have children with him
- The relationship provided Jenner with the "perfect" opportunity to gain the trust of the activists he was spying on and collect more information
- Jenner’s treatment of Alison has been described as "callous and cruel" and a "gross betrayal" of his wife and children
- The inquiry into undercover policing is examining how officers spied on tens of thousands of activists between 1968 and 2010, including the use of fake identities and sexual relationships
Introduction to the Inquiry
The spycops inquiry has heard shocking testimony from an undercover officer, Mark Jenner, who has admitted to deceiving a woman, Alison, into a five-year relationship while infiltrating leftwing campaigns. Jenner, who was married with children at the time, concealed his true identity and marital status from Alison, who wanted to have children with him. The relationship, which lasted from 1995 to 2000, provided Jenner with the "perfect" opportunity to gain the trust of the activists he was spying on and collect more information. The inquiry, which is tasked with examining how undercover officers spied on tens of thousands of activists between 1968 and 2010, has heard that Jenner’s treatment of Alison was "callous and cruel" and a "gross betrayal" of his wife and children.
The Deception
Jenner’s deception was a central part of his covert operation, and he has admitted that he "strung along" Alison, who wanted to have children with him. He told the inquiry that he had deliberately misled her, saying that he wanted children but at a later stage, and that he had "wasted her fertile years". Alison has told the inquiry that Jenner was "well-fed, warm, had regular sex from a woman who loved him and enjoyed a varied and entertaining social life with my wide circle of friends and extended family who welcomed him with open arms". Jenner agreed that this description was correct, but added that it was all "obtained by deception… always in the knowledge that at some point you are going to walk out of her life".
The Impact on Alison
The impact of Jenner’s deception on Alison has been significant, and she has waited for over two decades for an explanation of how and why he treated her badly. She first suspected that he was a police spy in 2000, when he disappeared from her life, pretending to be going through severe depression. After more than a decade of research, she established that he had been an undercover officer. The inquiry has heard that Alison’s experience is not unique, and that many other women have been deceived into relationships with undercover officers. The use of fake identities and sexual relationships by undercover officers is a central issue being scrutinized by the inquiry.
The Culture of Deception
Jenner’s testimony has also shed light on the culture of deception within the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), the unit he worked for. He told the inquiry that "a number" of his managers and other undercover officers within the SDS had known about his relationship with Alison, and that it was an "open secret". However, they did nothing about it, and instead warned him to be "very careful". At one point, one of the SDS unit members even joked about it. This culture of deception and secrecy has been criticized by the inquiry, which has heard that it allowed undercover officers to engage in behavior that was "appalling, unconscionable and unacceptable".
The Legacy of the Spycops Inquiry
The spycops inquiry is ongoing, and it is expected to hear from many more witnesses, including other undercover officers and the women who were deceived into relationships with them. The inquiry’s findings are likely to have significant implications for the way that undercover policing is conducted in the future, and may lead to changes in the way that officers are trained and supervised. The inquiry has already heard that the use of fake identities and sexual relationships by undercover officers was widespread, and that it was often used as a way to gain the trust of activists and collect information. The legacy of the spycops inquiry will be to ensure that such practices are never repeated, and that the rights of individuals are protected from abuse by those in power.
Conclusion
The testimony of Mark Jenner has highlighted the shocking extent of deception and betrayal that was involved in the undercover policing of leftwing campaigns. The use of fake identities and sexual relationships by undercover officers is a serious abuse of power, and it is clear that it has caused significant harm to many individuals. The spycops inquiry is an important step towards accountability and transparency, and it is hoped that its findings will lead to significant changes in the way that undercover policing is conducted in the future. The story of Mark Jenner and Alison is a powerful reminder of the need for scrutiny and oversight of those in power, and the importance of protecting the rights of individuals from abuse.
