UK ‘spy cops’ scandal: At least 25 officers engaged in deceptive sexual relationships

While 25 officers have been confirmed to have engaged in these deceptive relationships, three more have denied doing so.

By: Express Web Desk

March 3, 2025 01:37 PM IST

3 min read

At least four officers fathered or are suspected of fathering children while living under fake identities. (Representational/File Photo)

Over 50 women were tricked into intimate relationships with undercover police officers who infiltrated political movements while hiding their true identities, The Guardian has revealed. This large-scale deception, spanning over 40 years, involved nearly 20% of all undercover officers assigned to monitor activist groups.

Among the most shocking cases, at least four officers fathered or are suspected of fathering children while living under fake identities. One woman, Jacqui, only discovered the truth 20 years later—her son’s father, Bob Lambert, was an undercover officer who abandoned them when the child was an infant. He falsely claimed he had to flee abroad to avoid arrest.

The emotional toll on these women has been devastating. Some unknowingly shared up to six years of their lives with men who were spying on them and their friends. Many now struggle with deep psychological scars, unable to trust partners again.

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The extent of this deception is being exposed in a new ITV series, made in collaboration with The Guardian, which follows five women who worked tirelessly to unmask the men who disappeared from their lives without explanation. Their detective work—combing through archives, following obscure leads, and even travelling abroad—eventually uncovered the truth.

A public inquiry, led by retired judge John Mitting, is currently investigating the scandal. Inquiry lawyer David Barr has stated that the deception was not justifiable, saying clearly, “It was not.”

Following years of legal battles and activism by the victims, police chiefs have been forced to apologise, admitting that these “abusive, deceitful, and manipulative” relationships were enabled by a culture of sexism and misogyny within undercover policing.

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The covert operations ran from 1968 to 2010, involving 139 undercover officers spying on more than 1,000 political groups. Many used the stolen identities of deceased children to gain deeper access to activist circles. They not only formed romantic relationships but also gathered large amounts of personal information, from activists’ holiday plans and financial details to their sexuality.

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While 25 officers have been confirmed to have engaged in these deceptive relationships, three more have denied doing so. The full scale of the abuse remains unknown, as the identities of many undercover officers are still kept secret.

(with inputs from The Guardian)

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