Malcolm Shearing (alias)
This article is part of the Undercover Research Portal at Powerbase - investigating corporate and police spying on activists
Malcolm Shearing is the alias of an undercover officer with the Special Demonstration Squad, who was deployed 1981 to 1985 against the Revolutionary Communist Party and the Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist/Leninist).[1] He is also referred to by the cipher HN19 (for cipher system, see the N Officers page).
According to John Mitting, chair of the Undercover Policing Inquiry, the deployment was unremarkable and without allegation of misconduct, other than that Shearing was arrested and cautioned for unlawful bill posting. Newly married when deployed.[2]
He later worked in a Special Branch unit which dealt with those classed as domestic extremist.[3]
In the Undercover Policing Inquiry
- January 2018: no application to restrict cover name; Mitting was minded to restrict real name, saying publication of real name was not necessary, as release of cover name will suffice to prompt those he interacted with to come forward. he noted that HN19 has no concerns for his physical safety, but 'is concerned to avoid the intrusion into his and his wife's private and family life which might result from publication of his real name. Thus, in Mitting's view, publication of his real name would interfere with his Article 8 rights to private / family life.[4]
- May 2018: cover name published.[1]
- 3 July 2018: Inquiry indicates Mitting is still minded to restrict real name[5] and publishes the open application from the Metropolitan Police to this effect (date 19 December 2017), and a document setting out some additional information.[6]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Email to core participants, '20180501_UCPI_to_all_CPs_publishing_HN3_HN19_HN20_HN60_HN218_HN353', Undercover Research Group, 1 May 2018, referencing update of the webpage UCPI.org.uk/cover-names.
- ↑ Sir John Mitting, 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 Special Demonstration Squad - 'Minded To' Note 4, Undercover Policing Inquiry, 25 January 2018.
- ↑ Inquiry's gist of additional information within the evidence supporting HN19's application for over real name only, Undercover Policing Inquiry, 2018.
- ↑ Press Notice: Decisions relating to anonymity applications: Special Demonstration Squad, Undercover Policing Inquiry, 25 January 2018.
- ↑ Publication of documetns relating to anonymity applications: Special Demonstration Squad - November 2017, January 2018, March 2018 and April 2018 'Minded' to notes, Undercover Policing Inquiry, 3 July 2018.
- ↑ List of applications and evidence published on 03 July 2018, Undercover Policing Inquiry, 3 July 2018.
