Bob Stubbs (alias)
This article is part of the Undercover Research Portal at Powerbase - investigating corporate and police spying on activists
Bob Stubbs is the cover name of a former Special Demonstration Squad undercover officer who infiltrated the International Socialists / Socialist Workers Party from 1971 to 1976.[1] They are also referred to by the cipher HN301 (for the N cipher system see N officers) for the purposes of the Undercover Policing Inquiry, which has ruled the officer's real name will be restricted.[2]
+++++ Last Updated January 2019 +++++
As an SDS officer
According to Mitting, HN301 reported on other groups besides the Socialist Workers Party.reported on others, and there were no allegations of misconduct against him.[3]
In the Undercover Policing Inquiry
- November 2017: cover name to be published, real name to be restricted.[4] In a 'Minded To' not, the Chair of the Inquiry, John Mitting, wrote[3]
- Publication of his cover name, which will occur, is all that is required to prompt evidence from those who encountered him in his undercover role, if they have any to give. Publication of his real name is unnecessary. It would also be a disproportionate and unjustified interference in his and his family’s right to respect for their private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention. It would not be difficult to trace him if his real name were published. His family circumstances, which are fully set out in his impact statement, require that there should be no avoidable interference in them, even of a kind produced only by publicity resulting from legitimate media interest.
- 31 October 2017: application to restrict real name made by Metropolitan Police Service.[5]
- 20 February 2018: cover name and target groups released.[1]
- 5 March 2018: provisional decision to restrict real name with the application to be heard on 21 March 2018.[6]
- 27 March 2018: Mitting ruled that the real name cannot be published by the Inquiry; in this he repeated his earlier arguments and added that HN301 was in his 70s.[7]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Email to core participants, '20180220 UCPI to all CPs - HN26 and HN301 cover names', Undercover Research Group, 20 February 2018, referencing update of the webpage UCPI.org.uk/cover-names.
- ↑ Kate Wilkinson, Counsel to the Inquiry's Explanatory Note to accompany the Chairman's 'Minded-To' Note 12 in respect of applications for restrictions over the real and cover names of officers of the Special Operations Squad and the Special Demonstration Squad, Undercover Public Inquiry, 13 September 2018.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 In the matter of section 19 (3) of the Inquiries Act 2005 Applications for restriction orders in respect of the real and cover names of officers of the Special Operations Squad and the Special Demonstrations Squad ‘Minded to’ note 2, Undercover Policing Inquiry, 14 November 2017 (accessed 15 November 2017)
- ↑ Counsel to the Inquiry's Explanatory note to accompany the 'Minded-To' Note (2) in respect for restrictions over the real and cover names of officers of the Special Operations Squad and the Special Demonstration Squad, Undercover Policing Inquiry, 14 November 2017 (accessed 15 November 2017).
- ↑ Open application for a restriction order (anonymity) re: HN301, Metropolitan Police Service, 31 October 2017, published via upci.org.uk.
- ↑ Press notice - Publication of documents relating to Special Demonstration Squad anonymity applications for hearing on 21 March 2018, Undercover Policing Inquiry, 5 March 2018.
- ↑ Sir John Mitting, In the matter of section 19(3) of the Inquiries Act 2005 Application for restriction order in respect of the real and cover names of officers of the Special Operations Squad and the Special Demonstration Squad Ruling 5, Undercover Policing Inquiry (UCPI.org.uk), 27 March 2018.
