HN2

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This article is part of the Undercover Research Portal at Powerbase - investigating corporate and police spying on activists



Part of a series on
undercover police officers
Andy Coles (HN2)
Andy Coles (current).jpg
Alias: Andy 'Van' Davey
Deployment: 1991-1995
Unit:
Targets:
Animal rights and hunt sabs in south London, anti-war campaigners: Brixton Hunt Saboteurs, London Boots Action Group, London Animal Right Coalition, Active Resistance to the Roots of War / Gulf War Resisters

HN2 is the cipher given to a former Special Demonstration Squad] undercover officer, and later cover officer in the unit. It has been revealed by the Undercover Policing Inquiry that HN2 is Andy Coles who was undercover as Andy Davey.[1]

For the N cipher system see N officers page.

As an SDS officer

They were mentioned in the first Operation Herne report as a former SDS undercover and later a cover officer, now retired:[2]

  • 3.4: "According to N2 efforts would be made to research the existence of close family members. Names that were too unusual or too common would be discounted, as too would cases where the deceased had died in unusual or memorable circumstances. In preference, children were chosen that would have died between four (4) and eight (8) years of age and would be of broadly the same age as the UCO."
  • 4.4: "... he found himself in a situation where he had penetrated an organisation and was then asked by the group to help trace a mole among them."

In the Undercover Policing Inquiry

Timeline

  • August 2017: the Inquiry said it needed further details before making any restriction order over the real or cover name of HN2, and was also awaiting HN2 to appoint a legal representative.[3][4] A note from the Council to the Inquiry noted that the Metropolitan Police had made a restriction order application on publishing the real name of HN2 only, while the former undercover officer was not in position to confirm whether wider restriction would be sought over the cover name; also an open version of material relating to HN2 had yet to be agreed.[5]
  • On 23 October, Inquiry Chair, John Mitting, directed that any application for a restriction order should be submitted no later than 31 October 2017.[6][7]
  • No application being made, it was later announced that HN2's real and cover names would be published.[8]

Notes

  1. Cover names, Undercover Policing Undercover, updated 20 March 2018 (accessed March 2018)
  2. Mick Creedon, Operation Herne Report 1: Covert Identities, Metropolitan Police Service, July 2013.
  3. 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 the Special Demonstrations Squad ‘Minded to’ note, Undercover Policing Public Inquiry (UCPI.org.uk), 3 August 2017 (accessed 5 August 2017).
  4. Press Release: 'Minded to' note, ruling and directions in respect of anonymity applications relating to former officers of the Special Demonstration Squad, Undercover Policing Public Inquiry (UCPI.org.uk), 3 August 2017 (accessed 3 August 2017).
  5. David Barr & Kate Wilkinson, Counsel to the Inquiry's explanatory note to accompany the 'Minded to' note 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 Policing Public Inquiry (UCPI.org.uk), 3 August 2017 (accessed 5 August 2017).
  6. John Mitting, (1) The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and its impact on the Inquiry’s work (2) Applications for restriction orders in respect of the real and cover names of officers of the Special Operations Squad and the Special Demonstrations Squad: Directions, Undercover Policing Inquiry, 23 October 2017 (accessed via UCPI.org.uk, 23 October 2017).
  7. 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).
  8. Kate Wilkinson, Counsel to the Inquiry's Explanatory Note to accompany the Chairman's 'Minded-To' Note 5 in respect of applications for restrictions over the real and cover names of officers of the Special Demonstration Squad and the Special Demonstration Squad - Update as at 7th March 2018, Undercover Policing Inquiry, 7 March 2018 (accessed 8 March 2018).