Doughty Street counsel appear in Undercover Policing Inquiry

From 2 November 2020 the Undercover Policing Inquiry began its hearings, with seven days of opening statements, followed by seven days of evidence. The hearings of the opening statements can be accessed here. The Inquiry is due to inquire into and report on undercover police operations conducted by English and Welsh police forces since 1968.

A number of Doughty Street counsel are representing core participants at the inquiry and have been involved in making opening statements to the Inquiry over the last few days. Ruth Brander is instructed by Kelly’s Solicitors (Lydia Dagostino) on behalf of the non-state core participant co-operating group. Ruth is also instructed by Birnberg Pierce (Harriet Wistrich and Kate Thomas), HJA (Cormac McDonough) and Hickman and Rose (Helen Stone) for 20 women who were deceived into sexual relationships with undercover officers, and by Birnberg Pierce (Harriet Wistrich and Kate Thomas) for three of the justice campaigns. Piers Marquis is instructed by Paul Heron of Public Interest Law Centre on behalf of Richard Chessum and “Mary”, and core participants in later tranches, Youth Against Racism in Europe (YRE), Hannah Sell, Lois Austin and Dave Nellist the former Labour Member of Parliament. Heather Williams QC and Fiona Murphy are instructed by Bindmans (Jules Carey) to represent a number of women who were deceived into sexual relationships with undercover officers, and families of deceased children whose identities were appropriated. Heather Williams QC and Adam Straw, instructed by Jocelyn Cockburn of Hodge Jones Allen, represent Neville Lawrence. Nick Stanage is instructed to represent Tariq Ali, Ernie Tate, Piers Corbyn and others by Saunders Solicitors (Richard Parry). Maya Sikand is instructed by Rosa Curling of Leigh Day on behalf of Peter Francis, former undercover officer and ‘whistleblower’, whose revelations set this Inquiry in train. Sam Jacobs is instructed by Bhatt Murphy (Simon Creighton) on behalf of a number of Justice campaigns.

Media coverage: BBC, ITV, The Times, The Independent