‘Spy cops’ operations against leftwing groups unjustified, inquiry finds

Report says officers collected details of activists' sexuality and bank accounts and operations should have been shut down

What is the spy cops' scandal and why was inquiry set up?

Undercover operations to infiltrate leftwing groups in the 1970s and early 1980s were not justified and should have been closed down, a retired judge leading a public inquiry has concluded.

In a critical report published on Thursday, Sir John Mitting found that undercover police officers collected a striking and extensive" amount of information about the personal lives of political activists, such as their holiday plans, sexuality and bank accounts.