HN300

From Powerbase
Revision as of 06:35, 2 October 2019 by Peter Salmon (talk | contribs)
Jump to: navigation, search


URG logo 1.png

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
'HN300'
Male silhouette.png
Alias: Jim / Jimmy Pickford
Deployment: late 1974 - Jan 1977
Unit:
Targets:
Battersea and Wandsworth Trades Council Anti-Fascist Committee, Federation of London Anarchist Groups, Freedom Collective, Kingston Anarchist Association, Pavement Collective and Wandsworth Anarchist Workers Association / South London Anarchist Workers Association; ? Socialist Workers Party

HN300 is the cipher given to a former Special Demonstration Squad undercover officer deployed from late 1974 to January 1977, into the Socialist Workers Party. His cover name may have included 'Jim' or 'Jimmy'. He is is deceased.[1]

On 24 September 2019, the Undercover Policing Inquiry revealed his full cover name was Jim Pickford and that he had targeted Battersea and Wandsworth Trades Council Anti-Fascist Committee, Federation of London Anarchist Groups, Freedom Collective, Kingston Anarchist Association, Pavement Collective and Wandsworth Anarchist Workers Association / South London Anarchist Workers Association.[2]

As an SDS officer

According to the Undercover Policing Inquiry it is not known what branch of the Socialist Workers Party he was deployed into. His cover surname has not been discovered. During deployment told another undercover that he had fallen in love with a member of his target group and had divorced from second wife in 1979.[1] A gisted note from the Inquiry provides the following:[3]

During his deployment, another SDS UCO recalls being told by HN300 that he had fallen in love with one of his target group and wanted to disclose to her that he was an undercover officer. HN300 was withdrawn from the field. HN300’s family from his second marriage confirmed that he met his third wife whilst deployed on the SDS and that she sometimes referred to him as ‘Jimmy’. They had a child. This third marriage also ended in divorce. The woman then moved overseas in the 1980s and it has not been possible to contact her. It is understood that she has remarried.


In the Undercover Policing Inquiry

Restriction order

  • 11 January 2018: directions issued for any application for restriction orders to be submitted by end of January 2018.[4]
  • 29 January 2018: Metropolitan Police Service make application to restrict real identity.[5]
  • 7 March 2018: 'Minded To' note stated that HN300's second wife and two children had provided a joint statement about their experiences during his deployment and the impact disclosure of his real name may have on them. Mitting indicated that on the grounds that publishing his real name would interfere with their rights, he would grant the restriction order over it. Though, if further information on his cover name becomes known to the Inquiry it will be published.[1]
  • 15 May 2018: ruled that HN300's real name will be restricted in the course of the Inquiry.[6]
  • 24 September 2019: target name and target groups released.[2]

Notes