Ahead of ‘Spycops’ conference, Ellenor Hutson tells of how her environmental activism saw her mysteriously blacklisted from an industry she’d never worked in

“THE THING that sticks with me is that he was the person we wanted him to be. In our wildest dreams, he was who we’d want to attract to the movement.”

‘Spycops’ scandal remains an issue in the new Scottish Parliament

CALLS TO EXTEND the undercover policing inquiry to Scotland have now been backed by the Home Secretary’s own party, as the Scottish Conservatives added to the cross-party demands. 

The Tories at Holyrood now join Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green MSPs in calling for an extension of the inquiry’s remit – or, failing this, a separate Scottish investigation. 

Brazilian electrician was shot seven times in the head in 2005 after police mistook him for terrorist

THE FAMILY of Jean Charles de Menezes, who was unjustly shot dead by police in London in 2005, have lost a legal bid in Strasbourg to lower the bar for prosecution.

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has ruled against a legal bid by the family of de Menezes. The family had argued that the bar for prosecution should be lower after no officers were charged over the killing of 27-year-old Jean Charles de Menezes in 2005.

But Pitchford Inquiry into spying scandal still to exclude Scotland

SENIOR SCOTTISH police officers were linked to a disgraced secret unit which spied on activists, new evidence has shown - yet the inquiry into police spying is still set to exclude Scotland.

Eighth woman to come forward has said police dropped defence to keep information secret

ONE OF eight women who have so far taken action over relationships with undercover police officers has won her court case against Scotland Yard, but says they must reveal the full truth about the spying operations.

Campaigner George Monbiot adds voice to call to remove Bob Lambert from university post

AN OPEN letter has urged the University of St Andrews to sack a lecturer who was revealed in 2011 to be a former police spy who fathered a child with his activist targets.

Signatories to the letter include Guardian journalist and campaigner George Monbiot, who holds an Honorary DSc from the University, and Helen Steel, one of seven women to have received an apology from the Metropolitan Police over the controversial spying programme.

Philip Gormley, of the Met and NCA, chosen as new Police Scotland chief constable

THE APPOINTMENT of the new head of Police Scotland Philip Gormley has been labelled "worrying" by experts for sharing a similar career history as former Chief Constable Stephen House.

Gormley's background is in counter-terrorism and intelligence in London's Metropolitan Police and the National Crime Agency. He beat two senior Police Scotland figures, Iain Livingstone and Neil Richardson, to the post.

Ex-Labour peer apologises for "pain" caused by drugs and prostitution scandal

LORD SEWEL has resigned his seat in the House of Lords following the publication of footage obtained by the Sun allegedly showing him taking drugs with sex workers.

The resignation came as the Metropolitan Police confirmed an investigation into "allegations of drug-related offences involving a member of the House of Lords" and searched a central London apartment.

Family of Brazilian man shot dead by Met police still seeking justice 10 years on

IVOR suddenly pinned the young man to the seat of a London tube train. Two other men, in jeans and t-shirts, had run onto the carriage seconds before. They each carried guns.

One of the gunmen pressed his weapon against the young man's head. He and the other gunman then fired eight hollow-point bullets into the man as he was immobilised against the seat.

Seven of the bullets smashed into the young man's head, expanding upon impact. One bullet hit his shoulder.