Tranche 2 of the Undercover Policing Inquiry will look at the middle period of the Special Demonstration Sqaud (SDS), from 1983 to 1992 (though it will also include several officers who have been moved from Tranche 1).The officers moved from Tranche 1 to Tranche 2 hearings are HN12 ‘Mike Hartley’, HN19 ‘Malcolm Shearing’, HN20 ‘Tony Williams’, HN65 ‘John Kerry’; HN67 ‘Alan Bond’; HN83; and HN85 Roger Pearce / ‘Roger Thorley’. Tranche 2 officers in this era include HN10 Robert Lambert ‘Bob Robinson’HN10 Robert Lambert 'Bob Robinson'Bob Lambert, using the cover name 'Bob Robinson' infiltrated Animal Rights campaigns as a SDS officer between 1983 and 1988. He fathered a child whilst undercover, with 'Jacqui'. He was also involved in the planting of an incendiary device, which resulted in two other people going to prison. He returned to the SDS as a manager (1993-1998) and oversaw further controversies. He later became an academic in the field of 'Terrorist Studies'. , HN11 Mike Chitty / ‘Mike Blake’HN11 Michael Chitty 'Mike Blake'HN11 Michael Chitty (cover name Mike Blake) was the first undercover officer in the Special Demonstration Squad who infiltrated groups within the animal rights movement between 1983 and 1987. This included the South London Animal Movement (SLAM). He had sexual relationships with women in his target groups. He also returned to the activist scene using his cover identity post-deployment. He has refused to cooperate with The Inquiry., HN1 ‘Matt Rayner’HN1 'Matt Rayner'HN1 'Matt Rayner' was the cover name of an SDS undercover officer. He infiltrated the animal rights movement in North London from 1991 to 1996, targeting London Boots Action Group, London Animal Action, Animal Liberation Front and West London Hunt Saboteurs. He had a sexual relationship in his undercover identity., and HN2 Andy Coles / ‘Andy Davey’HN2 Andrew Coles 'Andy Davey'HN2 Andy Coles (cover name 'Andy Davey) was an SDS undercover officer who Infiltrated peace and animal rights groups in South London between 1991 and 1995. He had a sexual relationship with 'Jessica' in his cover identity.. Thirty undercover deployments will be covered.
Due to the volume of live evidence being given and the importance of the role of the former undercovers in the spycops scandal, the hearings were split into two phases.
Phase 1 was heard from 1 July to 2 August 2024, including the evidence of HN85 Roger Pearce 'Roger Thorley'HN85 Roger Pearce 'Roger Thorley'Roger C Pearce is a former undercover police officer who rose to be Commander of the Metropolitan Police Special Branch (MPSB) and Director of Intelligence. Since retiring he has become an author of fiction. As 'Roger Thorley' he infiltrated anarchist groups, including Freedom Press, from 1979 to 1984 and wrote articles for Freedom News. and HN78 Trevor Morris 'Bobby Lewis'HN78 Trevor Morris 'Bobby Lewis'HN78 Trevor Morris 'Bobby Lewis' was an SDS undercover officer between 1991 and 1995. He infiltrated the Socialist Workers Party. During his deployment, he had at least two sexual relationships. He wrote a self-published biography, named 'Black Ops', with the title referring both to his ethnicity and the fact he worked both for Special Branch and MI6..
The second set of hearings will begin in October 2024 and run into December. They will mainly focus on animal rights related undercovers from the era. The last part of Phase 2, in December 2024 and January 2025, will hear evidence from the managers.
