HN10 "Bob Robinson" Robert Lambert - First Sexual Relationship with CTS

3 December 2024 · HN10 "Bob Robinson" Robert Lambert, Counsel to the Inquiry (Mr Barr), The Chairman (Sir John Mitting) · 03:22:50
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Robert Lambert's testimony covering his June 1984 deployment into animal rights groups. He describes infiltrating Islington Animal Rights, Badgers (Haringey Animal Rights), and London Greenpeace as stepping stones towards the ALF. Key focus on his first sexual relationship with activist 'CTS' - began after driving her home from a London Greenpeace meeting, likely in September 1984 after knowing her about a month. Lambert apologizes to CTS and his wife, admitting he was 'playing with her emotions' and she would not have consented had she known his identity. Managers may have seen photographic evidence of the relationship.

Key moments

Full transcript

00:24:57 e e

00:25:56 good morning everybody uh the first part of today's proceedings are going to be live streamed um the usual rules therefore apply those who have got electronic devices may use them for transmitting what is going on in the hearing room what they hear provided

00:26:12 hearing room what they hear provided they do so 10 minutes after the event that they are uh reporting um the devices may not be used for recording or photography there is a reporting restriction order in force which uh was

00:26:25 restriction order in force which uh was read out uh shortly before I came in in um that order applies uh and uh when uh as will happen uh later on in the

00:26:41 as will happen uh later on in the morning the live transmission stops that will be the uh only order in force but it applies uh to the first part of proceedings as well as the rest of the day if you are in any doubt about what it contains and I know it's long and

00:26:54 it contains and I know it's long and complex please ask a member of Staff before reporting on something about which you are in doubt thank you

00:27:06 thank you sir uh Mr Lambert I I want to move to your deployment itself I'm going to call up the first report in time that we have it's a

00:27:21 2358 Volume 5 tab C1 so

00:27:38 now this report is an intelligence report uh about Denise Bennett uh it's dated the 24th of July 1984 I can tell you that from your Commendation

00:27:51 Commendation recommendation you are said to have deployed on the 18th of June 1984 does the middle of June sound about right it does and

00:28:04 right it does and so this is your first report more than a month later can you assists with what you were doing uh between the middle of June and the 24th of

00:28:24 July I'd um obtained accommodation in the uh Finsbury Park area a

00:28:26 area a bedsit and uh one of the um first things I did in terms

00:28:35 terms of deployment uh was to uh approach Islington Animal Rights

00:28:52 approach Islington Animal Rights group uh and I recall that uh Denise Bennett was the uh leader or secretary uh for that group uh and um I I

00:29:03 group uh and um I I recall U meeting her going

00:29:14 to uh those groups that group's activities I think that was almost certainly the the first thing that I did

00:29:32 did uh as a as it my as a deployed officer as Bob Robinson apart from

00:29:39 from um say the business of acquiring the bedset and and um routine things like that was

00:29:52 um routine things like that was Islington animal rights of interest to special branch in its own right um I can't recall now now whether it as a

00:30:05 can't recall now now whether it as a group whether it had in any way come to the attention of special Branch um but

00:30:19 Branch um but um I would have known at the time if if that were the case that there might be some

00:30:21 some indications on the report that's um before me now and just okay we we can have a look at but uh uh just so you understand what I'm driving at is once

00:30:33 understand what I'm driving at is once we've had a look at a couple of reports I want to know whether you are infiltrating is uh isn't an animal rights purely as a stepping stone towards the AL or whether you were

00:30:45 towards the AL or whether you were infiltrating it as a group that was of interest to special branch in its own right as well but let's look at a couple of reports and I'll come back to that

00:30:56 of reports and I'll come back to that question so uh starting with this report it's an individual report about Denise Bennett so we can take it that you felt by this stage you'd got to know her or found out information about her

00:31:12 found out information about her sufficiently to write a report yes and if we look uh at uh paragraph four please first of

00:31:20 all whilst it is extremely unlikely that Bennett is herself part of a local Al cell she is an established figure in in

00:31:37 cell she is an established figure in in the animal rights movement to whom those younger members engaged in criminal activity turned to for support and

00:31:51 support and Direction now can you helpers um as to what information you had come by to suggest that there were members of Islington animal rights engaged in criminal act

00:32:12 criminal act acity well I certainly would have had a very clear idea at the time I can't recall uh the any uh detail now to support

00:32:13 support that what I do recall

00:32:18 do recall now is that uh it was it was not uncommon in in all of my

00:32:33 was it was not uncommon in in all of my experience over four and a half years to encounter

00:32:36 encounter very genuine respectable animal rights activists in local

00:32:49 local groups who would never ever entertain the idea of uh becoming involved in criminal activity but who did feel so strong ly so

00:33:12 strong ly so passionately about the cause of animal rights animal Liberation um uh that uh they would on occasions be uh be willing to

00:33:16 to um condone to um accept

00:33:24 accept criminal activity

00:33:28 could we go now to paragraph

00:33:39 two Denise Bennett the energetic leader of isington animal rights is in possession of photocopies of the documents recently stolen from the officers of the Zoological Society of

00:33:56 officers of the Zoological Society of London in Regent Park the theft of the documents was claimed by the ALF in a press release on the 5th of July 1984 is this a reference to the sort of action that's sometimes referred to as an

00:34:07 an inspection oh I'm sorry could you just repeat the last I is this a reference to the sort of action that is sometimes described as an

00:34:27 inspection yes I think um at the time I I'd forgotten but yes I think the term in

00:34:28 in inspection uh certainly would might have been used yes and so far as documents are concerned

00:34:43 and so far as documents are concerned was the tactic to take documents read them copy them and then return them I I

00:34:50 them I I can't I can't say with any certainty uh I can

00:34:53 uh I can recall instances where um

00:34:58 where um documents that were obtained uh say well I I I'll pause there I don't want to jump ahead the

00:35:16 there I don't want to jump ahead the reason I'm asking you is um I understand that documents were returned precisely to avoid or to provide an arguable defense to a charge of theft so the activist would say borrowed not stolen right okay uh that may well be

00:35:32 stolen right okay uh that may well be that that may be the case I can't recall okay can we now take that document down and go to the documents uh the next tab C2

00:35:58 2364 this is uh also um date the 24th of um a big problem this is dated the 31st of July it's week uh later this report is about the group itself uh paragraph one reads this

00:36:10 itself uh paragraph one reads this report serves as an introduction to the activities of Islington animal rights the following information has been received from a secret and reliable

00:36:21 received from a secret and reliable source can I take it from the use of the word introduction that special Branch may not have known um all that much about Islington animal right before

00:36:33 about Islington animal right before then I think that would be uh correct yes and if we go to paragraph four

00:36:51 please say hitherto I meetings have taken place on Fridays at the home of Denise Bennett 27 monel road N4 and then it goes on to say that that's going to change in the future can I take

00:37:05 going to change in the future can I take it from the evidence that you've already given us that it is likely that you attended meetings at the home of Denise

00:37:22 attended meetings at the home of Denise Bennett uh yes I I do I certainly recall going to her house in fact I recall going

00:37:23 going there

00:37:24 there um to

00:37:31 um to to join the group I think her address must have been in some way advertised um if you know if a member of the

00:37:39 the public uh wanted to join then that that is a a recollection that

00:37:50 then that that is a a recollection that I have and and when I first met her for sure did you give any thought to uh whether or not it was proper to cross

00:38:04 whether or not it was proper to cross the threshold into a private home acting in the capacity of an undercover police officer I certainly had um a clear understanding uh from my managers that this

00:38:15 this was uh what was expected of

00:38:24 me and how had you got that understanding um in in

00:38:30 in conversations with my

00:38:42 managers were you given any instruction as to any sort of legal test to apply or practical test to apply as to whether you should or should not enter a private home

00:38:49 home um I'm sure

00:38:55 that the guidance would have been

00:39:04 to enter a home if it was in the course of my

00:39:18 role presumably on that on the basis of that answer nobody would have battered an eyelid about this report in the back office

00:39:25 office well absolutely but just to say it it would the term the back office I know it gets used in different context but my understanding at the time

00:39:41 context but my understanding at the time was very briefly that the back office is where

00:39:46 where the recruits sat where where I sat when I was in training and the front office

00:40:05 I was in training and the front office was where the four managers sat just for the sake having a picture of what what it was the the the SDS management team as it was then in the 1980s

00:40:11 1980s um so forgive me uh no that's a helpful clarification thank you so did anybody bat an eyelid in the front office um no uh I'm sure they

00:40:22 uh I'm sure they didn't can we now go to page two paragraph 8

00:40:34 uh finally reference should be made to a small number of Youth aged between 14 and 20 generally of punk appearance VI

00:40:45 and 20 generally of punk appearance VI partially shaven heads hardened quills of porcupine hair in an arc from the center of the forehead to the nape of the neck who are actively engaged in

00:41:00 the neck who are actively engaged in Acts of criminal damage at the premises of fire X Laboratories local fur shops and butcher shops in the latter case content to dorb a familiar message meet

00:41:11 content to dorb a familiar message meet his murder in bright red paint across a window whilst they appear to have no formal membership of I and aspire to the status of an animal Liberation Front cell they are clearly

00:41:24 Liberation Front cell they are clearly linked to the group by friendships and common aims furthermore or there are indications that I funds are used to

00:41:35 indications that I funds are used to sponsor these illegal activities and are available to offset any resultant court fines first of all biorx we'll be coming to biorx again when we get to

00:41:48 to biorx again when we get to 1986 but can I take it from this 1984

00:41:59 1986 but can I take it from this 1984 report that the Animal Rights Campaign against the biox Laboratories was a longstanding campaign yes uh certainly it was a campaign that was ongoing when I first uh

00:42:10 ongoing when I first uh deployed uh now you've given a vivid

00:42:22 deployed uh now you've given a vivid description of these young punks but you have also made clear that they were not formal members of Islington animal rights yes you will recall the first report we looked at where you talked

00:42:37 report we looked at where you talked about members of I involved in criminal activity can you help us with that discrepancy please I I'm not sure that

00:42:55 discrepancy please I I'm not sure that it is a discrepancy I think both would have been true uh both would have been accurate um at the time and um

00:43:05 so I think I'm not sure that I can add any more at this stage finally on this paragraph you at this final sentence there are

00:43:20 this final sentence there are indications that I funds are used to sponsor these illegal activities now funding illegal activities is a serious matter isn't it what were the

00:43:35 it what were the indications I can't recall now what um what they were um it

00:43:40 um it would the Intelligence on

00:43:54 would the Intelligence on that that final point that would have come from my my observations uh my listening both at formal well I don't think any meetings were formal but um but

00:44:06 meetings were formal but um but certainly I by that time I would be having conversations with uh a variety of people either formerly members

00:44:29 formerly members of anim uh Islington animal rights or others that lived in the area um and um and yes I I speaking to Denise Bennett as well at the moment hers is the only

00:44:44 hers is the only name um that I've seen from this from I I I think I would um I'm sure there are other names that I would recognize that and I could

00:45:04 that I would recognize that and I could say that I was also speaking to them um and of course particularly going on demonstrations uh with them and of and it just comes to me now it might be important forgive me but I I'm

00:45:17 but I I'm sure there was at least one demonstration organized by Islington animal rights probably a bigger National

00:45:28 animal rights probably a bigger National demonstration that I went on and at that I met um

00:45:34 I met um people associated with London Greenpeace but

00:45:39 but anyway back to the last sentence and what the

00:45:40 what the indications of funding illegal

00:45:51 indications of funding illegal activities were surely if there had been any concrete indications you would have particularized them in the

00:46:00 report well I I I can't say now uh uh if I had more detail

00:46:10 detail um I I would have reported it um that's that was my report then I think I I definitely would have been confident that it had a sound that that

00:46:24 that it had a sound that that point about funds it would have had uh a sound Foundation well the part of the answer you gave to

00:46:41 well the part of the answer you gave to the effect that if you'd had details you would have provided them make sense but the implication is that if you didn't report them then you didn't have concrete foundations is it possible uh that this is uh an

00:47:00 exaggeration I I um I'm no I'm absolutely confident that I would not have been uh exaggerating that can we take that down now please and go to the document sir it's tab five of the same file

00:47:20 2390 this is a report dated the 7th of August

00:47:30 August 1984 it's about a protest organized by Islington an animal rights at uh selfes

00:47:32 selfes um and it's involving also the fur Action Group can we go to did first of

00:47:50 Action Group can we go to did first of all did you attend this protest in order to report on it um can I just ask is it is it possible to have it enlarged yes just a FR which I mean we can oh yeah thank you we'll be going to various bits of it in due course but I'll give give you a moment to refresh your

00:48:02 you a moment to refresh your memory sorry what can you repeat the question please did were you

00:48:20 there uh yeah I I don't recall but yes I'm sure the report indicates to me that I I would have been there yes can we look at paragraph four in particular please

00:48:39 privacy was particularly jubilant claiming to have punched a female shop assistant in the face during the fracka can I take it that by the use of the word

00:48:53 the word claiming you didn't witness this event that would yeah that would seem to be the

00:48:54 the case was it your experience over the course of your entire deployment that violence against the person was rare in animal right

00:49:11 circles

00:49:16 um well C yes certainly

00:49:24 uh um goodness I wouldn't say it was altogether rare um

00:49:34 um but

00:49:39 but something uh such as this

00:49:46 this um punching a female shop assistant um

00:49:47 um nothing nothing

00:49:56 else of that order come comes to mind now

00:49:57 now now um violence though I I do recall on several occasions uh members of the

00:50:09 of the public

00:50:15 public suffering is it violence certainly what what I'm about to say is surely it's a kind of violence where a members of the public wearing fur coats or coats or

00:50:30 public wearing fur coats or coats or items that were deemed thought to be fair um uh would be spat at would

00:50:44 fair um uh would be spat at would have um even you know on one occasion paint poured over uh their belonging so

00:50:50 so um it's a difficult one to to I don't think I could say altogether rare violence against property far more more common yes you've already told us that the

00:51:05 yes you've already told us that the Islington animal rights had perfectly law abiding members did there come a time when you ever came to know that a member of Islington animal rights had

00:51:21 member of Islington animal rights had committed an action which was criminal and claimed under the name Alf

00:51:29 [Music] um i' I'd

00:51:35 um i' I'd need the maybe I I can't recall now I think if if there is I'm reasonably confident that it'll be somewhere in in all of the reporting that I've been

00:51:54 all of the reporting that I've been shown um two two two years ago for my statement

00:52:01 but nothing Springs to mind no can we uh go to haringay animal rights please which I think also went under the name badges didn't it yes this is tab seven sir of the same file

00:52:30 248 and we'll see that uh this is a report dated the 10th of August 1984 and if we look at paragraph two

00:52:42 please so on Tuesday the 7th of August 1984 from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Haring Animal Rights group known as Badgers held its regular monthly meeting at the Trade union and Community Hall Brent Road

00:52:55 Road n22 40 persons were present this is your first report in on badges was that meeting your first

00:53:06 badges was that meeting your first experience of the group or had you interacted with them before that I I would think it was my first experience I think I only ever um went to their

00:53:28 ever um went to their meetings two or three times probably at most and why did you attend those meetings as part of my uh my strategy my operation my deployment um

00:53:51 and I recall that um where where I was um based um living um the cover address Finsbury Park it was situated right on the boundary between Islington

00:54:14 boundary between Islington haringay and and I think Hackney just by not by any design of mine but it it did um it did allow me uh it g you know I could legitimately could go along to uh a badger

00:54:25 could go along to uh a badger meeting uh as a as a local a local person

00:54:27 person could we look at page two paragraph four

00:54:38 please the next item on the agenda was a call to support uh East London Animal Aid on Saturday the 29th of September 1984 in a demonstration against a slaughter house situated in East London

00:54:57 slaughter house situated in East London it was proposed that the slaughter house be surrounded by protesters who would link arms in a symbolic gesture of solidarity with those fellow creatures

00:55:11 solidarity with those fellow creatures inside the building about to meet their Doom 20 persons present I present indicated their intention to

00:55:21 attend are you you are reporting that because it has some policing value I'm I'm sure that would be the case case and pro this is prosp an example of prospective reporting on an

00:55:38 example of prospective reporting on an event that police might wish to attend to ensure that the piece is kept

00:55:49 yes if your mission is to infiltrate the ALF how important a component was this sort of intelligence of which the quite

00:56:02 sort of intelligence of which the quite a lot in in the papers how important was that to your managers and to the and to special

00:56:04 special Branch I can certainly recall that it was expected of me um I can recall that I was

00:56:16 I was following what other deployed officers were doing um after my 9 months in the back office I I was in no doubt as

00:56:35 back office I I was in no doubt as to what was expected of me in terms of my

00:56:36 my reporting um and here

00:56:41 here um I'm sure we'll come onto it but here of course uh the um the slaughter house although it's not named there will I'm

00:57:02 although it's not named there will I'm sure it will be Laden Street and um it was you know the scene of um ongoing

00:57:04 ongoing um

00:57:06 um protests where there was a risk of violence um coming from the slaughter house and where there was a police interest for

00:57:22 sure would it be fair to say though that any public order value arising from your deployment was very much subsidiary to your primary mission

00:57:39 much subsidiary to your primary mission of providing intelligence about serious crime

00:57:40 crime um

00:57:48 um well at that time all I in 1984 um I

00:57:57 1984 um I would I don't know I would have been absolutely confident that this was

00:58:14 um this was Intelligence um that the SDS management team that they would um disseminate in in the way that they did and yeah I'm I'm not suggesting it had no policing value on the contrary appears to have some what I'm suggesting to you is you

00:58:26 some what I'm suggesting to you is you were not deployed into the animal Rights Movement primarily for public order intelligence um I think the it's yes I accept that um but but [Music]

00:58:38 [Music] um I'm not yeah

00:58:44 um it's difficult to

00:58:57 say um yeah I know what forgive me I lost my thread there I think um I would have had some understanding then but obviously later my understanding grew but really um as far as I'm

00:59:14 really um as far as I'm aware um you know there there has never been

00:59:16 been um

00:59:17 um a convicted Al

00:59:26 Al figure convicted for for Crime who who hasn't had prior involvement in a local animal rights

00:59:37 involvement in a local animal rights group of some kind and and and and that would have been an understanding um I'm sure paragraph five

00:59:54 please privacy organizer of a campaign against all pet shop shs in Haring gave details of letters he had written to the owners of the shops he made an oblique reference to a badger associate who was

01:00:11 reference to a badger associate who was currently awaiting trial at Crown Court for the theft of a chinchilla a small South American rodent from City Pet Shop in woodgreen and indicated that Badgers would assist in the court case it is

01:00:25 would assist in the court case it is believed that the person in question is privacy privacy born privacy of privacy so this is uh the group um providing

01:00:38 so this is uh the group um providing support to someone who's not a member but an

01:00:40 but an associate for a an offense of theft

01:00:50 yes can we go now to Tab 8 sir 2431

01:01:08 this is a report dated the 29th of August

01:01:15 1984 and if we look at the first three paragraphs

01:01:35 please this is further intelligence about the demon rtion that we've just seen you report on in the previous report and it gives more specific

01:01:37 specific details

01:01:41 details um I'll give you a moment to look at that uh yourself

01:02:06 yes uh so from a policing point of view the value of this is it gives some quite detailed Intelligence on a forthcoming protest at which there may be minor acts of criminal damage in your judgment by people who are not members of badgers

01:02:21 people who are not members of badgers yes it also tells me I was wrong just now to think that the slaughter house was the one in Laden Street this is a

01:02:33 was the one in Laden Street this is a different one which I'd forgotten about in Carpenters road so having been to these reports the overarching question I have about

01:02:44 overarching question I have about haringay animal rights would it be fair to say that in public order policing intelligence

01:02:56 in public order policing intelligence terms uh it's of some use but relatively small beer these are not people who are going out to Riot um

01:03:00 Riot um yes and in terms of offending

01:03:09 offending um that you're getting intelligence about through attending their meetings it's quite small beer isn't it

01:03:24 yes I want to pick up though now on part of your answer a moment ago that the real reason you're there or the primary reason you're there is to meet people

01:03:35 reason you're there is to meet people who might be involved in more serious offending could we go please to

01:03:55 14856 and this is a um report dated the 20 23rd of October

01:04:03 October 1984 it's an individual report about Andrew

01:04:05 Andrew Clark paragraph two and three

01:04:20 please the person previously referred to as Andrew in connection with the Affairs of badgers haringay Animal Rights group haringay Community Action and London Green Piece has now been identified as and Andrew Clark Clark continues to

01:04:34 and Andrew Clark Clark continues to reside at Alexandra Road North 8 where he shares a communal lifestyle of his fellow anarchists and Libertarians because of his articulate and modest manner he is more readily accepted by the respectable members of badgers than the majority of his

01:04:52 badgers than the majority of his comrades if you hold that in mind and could we have up please 218

01:05:10 eight this is a report from the 11th of September so just over a month earlier and there is a reference in that

01:05:22 and there is a reference in that um to someone who is known only as Andrew and that we are to I am told is um a reference

01:05:31 reference to

01:05:34 to Andrew underneath one of these privacy redactions is the word Andrew so bearing that in

01:05:42 that in mind my question to you is did you meet Andrew Clark for the first time through

01:05:59 Andrew Clark for the first time through badges well um it's quite probable but I can't be certain um at the same time I would have been attending London Greenpeace

01:06:11 attending London Greenpeace meetings could have met him there for the first time um equally I I may have been visiting uh an

01:06:27 visiting uh an address that was a bit of a meeting point um in in haringay but yes it's quite probable

01:06:40 haringay but yes it's quite probable that um that that was the first time if the precise circumstances in which you first met Andrew Clark are lost in

01:06:51 first met Andrew Clark are lost in time can we be reasonably certain that you first meet him in the Autumn of 1984

01:06:53 1984 yes now as we will come to to in due course we do get uh to some involvement in serious crime but what I'd like to

01:07:05 in serious crime but what I'd like to know from you at this stage is when you first meet him in 1984 what is he like well um my that first report that

01:07:25 like well um my that first report that was about him uh I think gives gives a very succinct uh description of him which which I I can recall uh as you know being um

01:07:50 recall uh as you know being um act at you describe him as articulate at that stage do you have any idea whether or not Mr Clark has committed any offense in the name of animal rights

01:07:56 rights no no I'm sure if if I'd had any

01:07:58 any um

01:08:04 anything of that nature to report I would have reported it um I can't recall now

01:08:12 now temperamentally as you got to know Andrew Clark uh first of all did you get to know him well enough to help us with his temperament

01:08:31 um not that I can call to mind

01:08:42 um just no nothing beyond that reported um description is there any particular reason why you've chosen to submit an individual report specifically about him well I think for the for the the

01:08:56 him well I think for the for the the reasons in the in the report um and I mean it's it won't be it's not a unique report I'm sure um

01:09:14 uh I said I would come back having dealt with Harring I said I'd come back to Islington animal rights and the question I first asked you about whether or not

01:09:25 I first asked you about whether or not uh you were independently interested in Lon animal rights or whether it was

01:09:36 Lon animal rights or whether it was purely a stepping stone towards the AL having been through these documents perhaps you could um answer that question

01:09:37 question please in in regards to badges as well no well I think it might be helpful if you deal dealt with both I'm sorry with both please with both yes well

01:09:50 both yes well um starting with um badges [Music]

01:10:07 um oh I'm sorry could you uh forgive me um um could you just repeat the question yeah essentially what I want to know first of all for Islington animal rights yes secondly for haringay animal rights are you attending their meetings as a stepping stone into the AL or because

01:10:23 stepping stone into the AL or because you are interested in those groups in their own right or both well yes I think it's both but I think there's there are

01:10:35 there's there are other other factors at play I I think um just

01:10:42 um just as just as I I met Andrew Clark for the first

01:10:49 first time um either at badgers or London Green Piece but at that time 84

01:10:54 84 um you know it would it would also be true that

01:10:55 true that um with Islington animal rights either at a meeting or at an event that um that I met

01:11:12 I met other others um and the two that come to mind are both um Jeff sheeper and um Paul

01:11:13 Paul grait both um either at a Islington animal rights meeting or around their um

01:11:39 events can we go now to London green piece and I'm going to have put up the first report in time we have attributable to you um which refers to London Green Piece it's a document at tab 9 sir 2434

01:12:00 now this is a report dated the 31st of August

01:12:07 August 1984 and if we um if we could expand please paragraphs 2 to

01:12:20 4 you will see what it's about uh it's about it's a prospective report about a demonstration that is being organized outside the doorchester hotel to be held on the 6th of September uh against demonstrating

01:12:36 September uh against demonstrating against the annual general meeting of unigate

01:12:47 limited is it likely that this is your first contact with London Greenpeace or uh would you have got to know them or had some contact with them before first reporting on them

01:13:00 reporting on them certainly I may well have had contact I may well have been to a meeting um in earlier say August

01:13:12 meeting um in earlier say August uh uh but um this would have been at an early stage of my deployment we um

01:13:29 have this report um in fact I think I'm sorry I've made a mistake this is the second report can we take that down and can we have up please

01:13:39 2432 there is a report two days

01:13:45 earlier I'll give you the background I'm going to show you three reports the first is this one which is about a cycle ride the second one is about the uh

01:13:56 ride the second one is about the uh Dorchester protest uh then we will get on to um the first report we've got about a me attendance at a meeting and what I'm interested in is is how you get

01:14:08 what I'm interested in is is how you get to know Green Peace So if we start sorry with the cycle ride report 29th of August um if we look at paragraph uh two and three

01:14:23 please Saturday the 25th of August 1984 between 10:00 a.m. and 2: P.M p.m. 20 people took part in the free thee cycle ride in North London initially there was some minor disruption to local traffic in lordship Lane North 19 but this

01:14:36 in lordship Lane North 19 but this ceased soon as Nate motorist buckled the rear wheel of an obstructive cyclist the protest ride was organized jointly by

01:14:49 protest ride was organized jointly by privacy and Dave Morris of London green pece and Haring a community action the intended route was not completed because of the poor performance of machines and

01:15:01 of the poor performance of machines and Riders at 2 p.m. the party adjourned to a picnic in Highgate Woods having succeeded only in circulating a small number of leaflets to Saturday

01:15:13 number of leaflets to Saturday Shoppers could we take that down now please and have up 0 37249

01:15:33 that must be a that's not the right reference either looking for a reference for the photograph for the this protest we take that down did you um

01:15:55 protest we take that down did you um watch uh on follow the evidence of hello Helen steel I haven't had that opportunity

01:16:02 no um do you recall this event I I can recall it vaguely

01:16:14 yes right could we try 020 432 please nope hang on

01:16:32 we'll come back um we will come back to the bike

01:16:39 ride can you recall

01:16:44 recall whether how you come to know about this bike ride there's reference to Dave

01:16:56 bike ride there's reference to Dave Morris can you help us with that well I I would think it would have come from attending a London Green Piece meeting

01:17:02 meeting uh and are you infiltrating London Green Peace for the same reason that you've infiltrated Islington animal rights and haringay animal rights or is there more to it no broadly speaking it would be the same

01:17:18 consideration

01:17:25 the thank you can we try 037 429

01:17:48 please this is a photograph um which has been provided to the inquiry by Helen steel uh which she uh says is of the demonstration in question does that jog your memory well well it doesn't actually jog a memory

01:18:00 a memory except

01:18:10 um if you look may let me help you if you look immediately in front of the van yes you can see that the bicycle immediately in front of the van has had damage sustained damage to its rear

01:18:22 damage sustained damage to its rear wheel um is that the incident you were referring to um in your report

01:18:33 oh I'm sorry I don't think I've read I showed it you a moment oh a moment ago sorry

01:18:35 sorry damage to that van no the damage to the back wheel of the bicycle oh right no I'm sorry I

01:18:53 the bicycle oh right no I'm sorry I didn't register I can see that yes yeah yes this event was uh an innocuous protest wasn't it it

01:19:04 um yes yes I I think so and lawful

01:19:11 lawful yes so you've come across London Green Piece to the point where you have attended a cycle ride did you go on this this ride with

01:19:23 this ride with them I think I probably did but I can't be certain

01:19:29 and then if we take that down and go to [Music]

01:19:42 2434 two days later you submit a report about a forthcoming London Greenpeace protest outside the Dorchester

01:19:53 Dorchester Hotel the one that we looked at a moment ago can you remember how you got the intelligence about the forthcoming

01:20:00 protest I think uh yeah I think it would have come from a a London Greece London Greenpeace meeting um that I attended if we go to

01:20:11 we go to 2230 please that's tab 15

01:20:23 sir this is the first report we've got about you

01:20:26 about you attending a meeting and if we see the date top right if we could have the date and then paragraph two expanded

01:20:37 and then paragraph two expanded please the report is the 25th of

01:20:45 September so about three three and a bit weeks later and it says on Thursday the 20th of September 1984 London Greenpeace held its regular meeting at 6 Ensley Street the meeting commenced at 7:00

01:21:00 Street the meeting commenced at 7:00 p.m. closed at 9:45 p.m. 16 people were in

01:21:08 attendance is it likely that you attended a meeting without reporting on it um it is well it's possible um yes that that is a possibility there

01:21:22 um yes that that is a possibility there are other possibilities which I won't go into unless you want me to having seen these three reports in the sequence bicycle ride report about the

01:21:35 sequence bicycle ride report about the Dorchester protest uh first report about you attending a meeting is it your evidence that you started to meet people from London Greenpeace

01:21:47 meet people from London Greenpeace through Islington animal rights or Badgers and got into London Greenpeace that way or is it evidence that you

01:22:03 that way or is it evidence that you went concurrently straight to London Greenpeace um I would say that

01:22:05 say that the I'm pretty sure that my uh the meetings I went to with Islington animal rights came

01:22:17 animal rights came first um and then meetings at London Greenpeace came uh fairly soon fairly soon

01:22:27 soon afterwards and it is it right that from this point onwards from The Early Autumn

01:22:46 this point onwards from The Early Autumn late summer Early Autumn of 1984 you are therea a regular attender at London Greenpeace until you execute your exfiltration strategy um yes albe it I think in in the last year um my attendance was quite

01:23:04 decreased you make a distinction between London Green Peace and Green Peace International the much better known International Environmental Group you told um operation

01:23:18 told um operation Hearn that what you described as the main Green Piece would often come along and

01:23:26 and voice

01:23:28 voice concerns I'll get that up please 722

01:23:38 580 it's volume one tab a Roman numeral 26

01:23:44 26 sir at page 15 once we've got the document up

01:24:08 yes so I'm looking at about the middle of the page if we could have essentially the middle section of the page

01:24:20 expanded you give an answer uh yeah we're interested in Green Piece and they didn't perhaps realize that it was quite distinct and it had a very strong Anarchist ideology I suppose and

01:24:34 Anarchist ideology I suppose and regularly the main the main Green Piece would often come along and you know voice

01:24:43 concerns did you mean by that that somebody from Greenpeace International would physically

01:24:56 International would physically attend a green piece London Green Piece meeting yes certainly um on

01:25:07 meeting yes certainly um on um a visit um I can recall such a visit at a meeting and a um the

01:25:12 a um the representative from whether it was you know let's say the main Green Piece um spoke

01:25:33 how often can you recall um people from Greenpeace International attending London Greenpeace meetings well I have a a a recollection of one occasion um

01:25:45 occasion um I'm I'm sure that the the well let's put it this way there was one occasion when when I was present I think um I had my

01:26:01 present I think um I had my understanding was that it was not the first

01:26:02 first time um that the group the main group um attended but uh so I could where did you get that

01:26:18 could where did you get that understanding from from my conversations with um London Greenpeace uh

01:26:29 members did they tell you how many times they'd

01:26:30 they'd been um not that I can recall now because you're telling Hearn that they attended

01:26:42 they attended regularly and you can only recall a single

01:26:47 single instance only one that I can that I actually have you exaggerated to operation Hearn the frequency with which Green Piece in International visited London Greenpeace um well no I don't

01:27:04 London Greenpeace um well no I don't think so that was my that was my best recollection what concerns did Green Peace International raise on the one occasion that you can recall

01:27:15 recall um very difficult [Music]

01:27:24 [Music] to recall now I I think it may have

01:27:24 may have [Music]

01:27:26 [Music] been

01:27:27 been uh a request to to the London Greenpeace group to change its name um because um it

01:27:44 because um it was there was a lot of from their from their point of view or from the representative who came to London Green

01:27:51 Green pieace from his point of view I I guess

01:28:04 um there was a lot of um misunder understanding um

01:28:05 um about two

01:28:08 about two two groups that were really quite different um but with very similar names so a single instance of London

01:28:20 names so a single instance of London green PE of Green Peace International attending to to ask London Green Peace to change its name well that's my that's the you know that's the best I can

01:28:32 the you know that's the best I can recall this morning um I may well have

01:28:45 recall this morning um I may well have reported on it at the time and um and S for sure at the time I would have been able to give you a very full account of all the issues uh that were being discussed but I I do recall that there was no

01:29:00 I I do recall that there was no um there was no resolution whatever the the

01:29:01 the fall um issues were that the representative from the main Green Piece um

01:29:15 Piece um had I I'm pretty sure that he left the meeting without achieving any um resolution could we take that down now please some general questions about your relationship with London Greenpeace did

01:29:36 relationship with London Greenpeace did there come a time when you became a key holder uh and giving you access to the building in which uh the London Greenpeace office was situated I I don't recall it but I I think that

01:29:52 think that must you know when I when I look back on it I think that must be the case um because I think um at some point much later uh not at this period we've been looking at but later

01:30:03 later on

01:30:10 on when London Green Peace um had had a rented

01:30:12 rented room

01:30:13 room um about well

01:30:26 um above houseman's Bookshop um then I think I I did have a key um

01:30:33 key um what and what was there inside the London Greenpeace office that was of interest to special Branch

01:30:52 um the the um or um no different to the

01:31:01 um all of the issues that applied to my

01:31:14 deployment within London Greenpeace and in sort of also in line with my um role of infiltrating

01:31:25 my um role of infiltrating the uh animal Liberation Front did it give you access for example to their mailing

01:31:26 mailing list

01:31:34 list um it probably did yes and would that have been of interest to special Branch um

01:31:37 Branch um not not um not routinely but but

01:31:51 potentially and did it give you access to documents uh about their finances um it may have done I I can't recall did you become at some point a signatory to the London Greenpeace bank

01:32:07 the London Greenpeace bank account I'm pretty sure that I didn't I think if I had done I would remember that

01:32:15 but the finances of the group were they of Interest a special Branch not um not as a a matter uh not as is a routine matter

01:32:31 no there's a suggestion uh that people were making donations mistakenly believing that they were sending money to Greenpeace

01:32:43 were sending money to Greenpeace International do you recall anything about

01:32:55 about that um yes when I've been shown um reporting on that it I can I can remember it yeah Mr Shephard gave evidence that when that

01:33:12 that happened uh the correspondent was always sent a reply with a selection of leaflets which would make very clear uh that the person had written to a very different green piece and

01:33:28 a very different green piece and therefore would have uh the opportunity to write and say may I have my money back is that what happened um I can't recall today whether that whether that is what

01:33:44 happened within London Green Peace were there

01:33:50 there tensions between on the one hand some of the anarco pacifists people like Martin low and on the other hand those who uh were advocating

01:34:10 hand those who uh were advocating militant and even criminal animal rights action uh yes there were

01:34:20 tensions what stance did you take at London Greenpeace meetings

01:34:26 I think uh that that may have

01:34:41 think uh that that may have my position may have developed in the uh certainly in the early period I was very

01:34:42 very concerned not to not to take sides certainly no I think more to the point I was concerned not to

01:34:59 not to not to make an enemy of anyone um because

01:35:01 because um well because I think that was that was part of

01:35:11 of my um my learning both prior to

01:35:24 my um my learning both prior to deployment and juring deployment that um you know an SDS officer couldn't really afford to have enemies you know the the job

01:35:34 job was difficult enough um but um

01:35:43 so um well I I can explain that in in more but in relation to individuals but I'll pause

01:35:58 did your stance change um yes I think

01:36:08 um o over the course of time um and maybe I

01:36:16 I maybe excuse me maybe I do need to

01:36:21 to uh illustrate it with with reference to an individual but again you may be coming to that so but yes it might stance did change what I'm driving at is isn't the

01:36:35 change what I'm driving at is isn't the reality that as someone who is trying to infiltrate the ALF and as we discussed yesterday has to be a

01:36:41 be a doer uh you would need to portray yourself as being aligned with the more militant faction wouldn't you well um

01:36:54 you well um given that

01:37:01 uh given that Martin low was

01:37:15 the the leading figure in the group on the anarco pacifist side um and was someone uh who I did form a a a good uh friendship with um you

01:37:31 a a a good uh friendship with um you know it's important I think for me to say that things were never really as clearcut as as it might seem now or or to an outsider the the fact is that

01:37:44 to an outsider the the fact is that um um even even on his own evidence which I have uh read a transcript of um you know

01:37:57 um you know Martin uh

01:38:05 Martin uh was uh a friend of Ronnie Lee the um at the time the sort lead Le

01:38:16 the time the sort lead Le leading uh figure in the S animal Liberation Front World um so I I was I would have been acutely aware that uh

01:38:33 that uh to you know to upset Martin to have Martin to

01:38:35 Martin to to uh speak ill of me

01:38:45 um would you know potentially go to uh Ronnie Lee um and over and above that um

01:38:57 you know I was aware that it was um it was

01:39:06 quite you know it was um quite a complex World Mr Lambert Ronnie Lee's association with London Greenpeace was even by

01:39:21 even by 1984 historic wasn't it well it doesn't matter how with respect it doesn't matter how historic it was uh for me uh and for my managers um you know it was a an an important consideration and indeed um there's no

01:39:37 consideration and indeed um there's no from Ronnie Lee's point of view when he did get to meet me I'm sure hearing from me that I was a London Greenpeace regular he would um quite possibly uh seek

01:39:49 possibly uh seek some um

01:40:03 uh insights about me from Martin low and the Insight that you would like Martin low to give Ronnie Lee was that you were more militant um yes in part but but

01:40:19 militant um yes in part but but equally um you know this this you know there's um I think there's more to it there's questions of reliability the other thing well I I better pause can I come back to my question for a yes can I have a straightforward succinct answer

01:40:33 have a straightforward succinct answer please yes did you portray yourself as on the militant wing of animal rights whilst at London green pece yes but I had to do it uh carefully um by and um by

01:40:48 carefully um by and um by degrees I'm going to move now to a slightly different topic could we have up please

01:41:05 2189 if we could ex expand first of all the

01:41:09 the date you'll see this is the 11th of September

01:41:11 September 1984 if we could go to uh paragraph

01:41:24 2 on Thursday the sixth of September 1984 between 12: noon and 2:00 p.m. a demonstration organized by London Green

01:41:38 demonstration organized by London Green Piece took place outside the Dorchester Hotel Park Lane W1 nine protesters leafleted unigate limited shareholders as they attended the company's AGM the broad grounds of their complaints against this company are set

01:41:52 complaints against this company are set out in a leaflet which is submitted here with there was no disorder or untoward incident now this is the demonstration that you had previously reported was going to

01:42:08 reported was going to occur can you recall whether or not you attended this demonstration U yes I can recall attending

01:42:14 attending it and

01:42:21 it and um one reason being I I have seen a photograph of of me um out outside you know at the venue um I've seen that photograph in well in post

01:42:35 post deployment okay I let's have a look at that 037 380 please

01:42:55 is that the photograph you're referring to

01:43:06 to Yes uh if we um go back uh please to

01:43:07 to um the document we were looking at

01:43:22 2189 and if we look at paragraph three and the bottom half of that page

01:43:35 please the following list of persons taking part and the organizations they represent indicates how London Green Piece has become closely aligned to the course cause of animal rights uh and then it gives a list of

01:43:53 rights uh and then it gives a list of names the second uh name down I don't want you to utter the name where you using the cipher CTS you know who CTS is don't you yes London Greenpeace resident in Earl's

01:44:13 London Greenpeace resident in Earl's Court born in privacy age early 20s SB does that mean special Branch records yes no

01:44:30 Trace you are here reporting details about CT s aren't you yes can we take it that you have then at least met her on this

01:44:34 demonstration um

01:44:39 um yes is this the first time you met her

01:44:41 her um I can't be

01:44:56 certain how sure are you well I'm not sure it would either it's possible but it would have been around that

01:45:04 time what is your recollection of when you did first meet

01:45:10 CTS um I don't have a the sort of the clear recollection from that comes

01:45:22 from that comes with the photograph we've just seen but um

01:45:28 um um I would think it would most likely have been at a a London Greenpeace

01:45:43 meeting before the 6th of September yes but one that you've not reported on because the first report we've got of you attending a London Greenpeace meeting is after that well yes that

01:46:07 meeting is after that well yes that we've seen but I think I should be quite clear about my assessment over over the you know the last um 12 years or so of where are we today in terms of how much of my reporting uh is you know survives and is

01:46:20 is you know survives and is now reports that we can look at I I mean I've in a nutshell I I can't be convinced that every single report I wrote still survives understood um

01:46:33 wrote still survives understood um secondly uh I can't be at all certain that every report that I submitted to my managers was always

01:46:45 managers was always deemed you know worthy of of transcribe um editing and and submitting in the way that we we see uh routinely

01:47:01 that we we see uh routinely uh there may well have been reports that um that weren't submitted so that I think needs to be

01:47:12 so that I think needs to be said could we go to page three of this document

01:47:15 document please this is the leaflet that you submitted together with your account of this demonstration

01:47:26 this demonstration a I'll give you a moment to look at [Music]

01:47:37 it did you write that I'm pretty sure that I

01:47:51 did if we can take that down now please back to CTS can you tell us in your own words how you got to know CTS well certainly

01:48:11 CTS well certainly at um London Greenpeace meetings um and uh afterwards at fairly uh

01:48:14 fairly uh regular post meeting Gatherings at at a nearby pub um

01:48:24 pub um I

01:48:25 I think also I think at a another a bigger demonstration the one

01:48:39 a another a bigger demonstration the one we've looked at was was far from being a big demonstration I I I think there may have

01:48:40 have [Music]

01:48:41 [Music] been a

01:48:44 been a bigger

01:48:46 bigger demonstration um as well um

01:48:57 that that would be the

01:49:10 um um that that would be the the the occasions where where I I met her

01:49:17 yeah London green peece was a non-h hierarchical organization wasn't it well it certainly aspired to be that

01:49:29 it well it certainly aspired to be that and it was yes that's what it was um but that didn't preclude leading figures [Music]

01:49:43 [Music] from um taking on fairly you know fairly leadership type roles some people were more prominent than others some people were more prominent than others yes uh on the scale of prominence where was

01:49:55 was CTS

01:50:02 CTS um I would say well um to be IM immediately um immediately I I wouldn't have

01:50:14 um immediately I I wouldn't have uh I wouldn't have known for sure but I it I think it did uh

01:50:26 it I think it did uh become uh clear to me that um you know she was a fairly a fairly new

01:50:33 new uh I was going to say member but there was no official membership but fairly new on the scene yes thank you sir would that be a convenient point to take our morning

01:50:45 convenient point to take our morning break certainly um May I just ask one question before we do that um you've been shown a number of reports of which you were the author up to yes up to um uh September

01:50:58 uh September 1984 um you describ those reports in your witness statement as based on information provided by you so do I take it from that that there were your reports or that you provided reports which were then written up by

01:51:24 reports which were then written up by others or what yes certainly they were um they were reports written up by my management team um based on my draft reports on notes it uh that I would submit to

01:51:40 would submit to them and apart from perhaps the uh special Branch reference numbers uh which may have been put in by those in the front office uh in the reports that we've looked at so far is

01:51:57 reports that we've looked at so far is is there anything in any of them which was not the result of information provided by you um I I no I I I think I could rule that out information that hasn't come from

01:52:15 information that hasn't come from me no um I think yes there may have been some

01:52:17 some editing editing out um or might have been that sort of I can't talk to the editing process but I I don't think there would have been any

01:52:29 been any other

01:52:42 other intelligence um being either Amalgamated with mine no thank you then we'll break for quarter of an hour and resume that course

01:52:43 course to

01:52:51 rise

02:10:20 e e

02:11:09 Mr Lambert how did your relationship with

02:11:10 with CTS become sexual it

02:11:15 sexual it um became

02:11:18 um became sexual after I drove her

02:11:24 drove her home

02:11:26 home um and was um invited in I think that was uh the

02:11:40 in I think that was uh the evening when it uh when the sexual relationship uh

02:11:52 began did you address your mind at all on that

02:11:53 on that evening to the fact you were embarking on sexual activity with a member of the public as a serving police officer in an undercover

02:12:12 identity um I can't recall um I can't recall addressing that question I can't really recall

02:12:23 recall uh what

02:12:26 um what was on my

02:12:40 mind how soon after you first met CTS was

02:12:47 CTS was it before the relationship became sexual

02:12:48 sexual um I can't be sure um

02:12:59 my may have

02:13:08 been may have been a month it may have been slightly

02:13:20 less you've deployed in the middle of June the first reference to CTS in the documents is is 6th of September does that assist you well it assists uh to it assists me

02:13:32 uh to it assists me to

02:13:41 um towards that time frame what a month perhaps I can't be

02:13:52 perhaps I can't be certain can you help us with when it was that the relationship became sexual I think

02:13:53 I think um I think almost certainly after uh a Thursday evening London Greenpeace

02:14:05 Greenpeace meeting and with then visiting the regular nearby pub and

02:14:16 pub and then uh

02:14:19 then uh driving um

02:14:27 driving the um CTS

02:14:30 um CTS um to her

02:14:43 home how well did you get to know CTS in the period that you knew her

02:14:46 her um yes I think um

02:14:54 I think we became uh close friends and

02:15:03 um I think I got to know her

02:15:11 her um you fairly well um I think um first and

02:15:18 foremost I think we had a um

02:15:22 a um friendship but

02:15:34 um I can't remember any more detail about anything sort of specifically that

02:15:51 I um things things we discussed um I can't call to

02:16:00 mind Martin L has given evidence to the inquiry that this relationship was cts's first serious sexual

02:16:09 sexual relationship is that true um I really don't know I don't think

02:16:17 think I um I don't recall that

02:16:26 being said to me by

02:16:28 by um by

02:16:35 CTS um so I I I can't comment more did you have a a conversation at any point about your age

02:17:00 I can't recall that but I wasn't um you you know that I wasn't um hiding the age of let's say um Bob Robinson which

02:17:16 um I wasn't hiding I wouldn't have hidden that age you were about a decade made older than she was um I think that that's probably

02:17:37 correct would CTS have consented to sex with you if she had known who you really were

02:17:43 were um well I can certainly say that the uh certainly

02:17:55 the uh certainly the circumstances in which which we met would never obviously would never have Arisen

02:18:07 um so but it but to your question no I I um um I don't imagine um that she would have

02:18:21 imagine um that she would have done did you consider that issue at all before having sex with CTA yes um not that I can

02:18:29 recall did you use

02:18:35 contraception um I can't

02:18:44 recall you sure about that um well yes I [Music]

02:18:48 [Music] I'm was contracep

02:19:00 I'm was contracep a an issue which crossed your mind at all well I'm sure it was um but I can't recall

02:19:08 recall now did you have any conversation with CTS about

02:19:15 contraception I feel sure that I would have

02:19:16 have done

02:19:18 done um I do

02:19:21 um I do you know genuinely believe that I think um that would have been the case but

02:19:30 but um but I can't recall

02:19:38 it Martin low has given evidence that your uh intimate relationship with CTS was not hidden from London Greenpeace and that people attending Greenpeace meetings knew knew

02:19:54 attending Greenpeace meetings knew knew that there was an intimate relationship is that right I I'm sure that it is

02:20:04 yes does that mean uh that uh when you were together uh there were clear indications perhaps public displays of affection holding hands that sort of

02:20:17 affection holding hands that sort of thing that would signal to people that you were in a relationship um um it it's it's possible um I can't I can't

02:20:29 um I can't I can't recall but it must be possible

02:20:37 yeah well how else do people know that you're in a relationship um well I I

02:20:49 um well I I um might be any any number of um other factors but um

02:20:52 certainly

02:20:58 um yeah I I don't think there was any um any sense at all that um it was a a a relationship that was

02:21:14 um it was a a a relationship that was going to be in any way uh in any sense hidden

02:21:16 hidden from um London you know mutual friends

02:21:26 in in London Greenpeace were you talking about it to them um

02:21:36 them um again I can't I can't recall but um I I'm

02:21:41 um I I'm sure that may have happened yeah and was she talking to people about your relationship the only um clear recollection I have is

02:22:03 the the communication that we both had about the relationship with Martin low and and that recollection has been greatly aided by

02:22:08 by photographs and to some extent Martin L's statement in which have you know been brought to my attention um

02:22:22 my attention um recently he invited you both for dinner didn't he yes could we have up please

02:22:40 36671 uh We've uh to protect cts's privacy we have um put in a redaction you have seen the unredacted photograph haven't you yes yes this is a

02:22:56 photograph haven't you yes yes this is a photograph of you and CTS at that dinner party isn't it yes Martin low has described you as

02:23:08 yes Martin low has described you as devoted to one another did you give that appearance um I wouldn't I I don't think I would have

02:23:19 wouldn't I I don't think I would have described it then in quite those terms I think we were um very close friends I think we um

02:23:27 um were

02:23:29 were quite quite sort

02:23:36 sort romantically involved um but um I think that's

02:23:43 quite well that's my recollection um

02:23:49 um not not quite the same as you know being a devoted couple um in how would you

02:24:01 a devoted couple um in how would you describe how you the pair of you would have appeared to uh the objective bystander in London Greenpeace um two people um who

02:24:15 um two people um who were close close friends and um people might think quite probably quite rightly that we were having

02:24:23 having a sexual

02:24:25 a sexual relationship going out with one another

02:24:35 yes were you devoted to CTS um I

02:24:38 CTS um I was

02:24:40 was um

02:24:50 um emotionally or yeah I was emotionally involved um I was

02:24:52 I was uh close you know close to

02:25:05 her there is an obvious tension isn't there between that answer and the fact it your identity was a sherard well yes in one one sense but equally

02:25:21 um I had [Music]

02:25:31 [Music] um I had by you know by then I certainly I had leared to

02:25:39 um compartmentalize my life to some extent um I was playing the role of Bob Robinson um and um

02:25:52 I I was able

02:25:58 to um reconcile it in in that sense

02:26:06 um this

02:26:12 was this was the uh very first time um

02:26:25 time um in in my marriage which was already you know it was um an

02:26:31 um an established um marriage which I spoke about yesterday and um not withstanding my ability at the time to

02:26:46 time to compartmentalize these two lives of course

02:26:48 course um I knew

02:26:54 um that Not only was um

02:26:59 um CTS um

02:27:10 CTS um being deceived of course uh my wife at the time was being deceived and I was um being unfaithful to my wife at the time um for the very

02:27:24 my wife at the time um for the very first time and so it you know much as I might succeed at the time in carrying that off um keeping up appearances it it clearly

02:27:35 clearly um you know it

02:27:50 um it wasn't it wasn't lost on me and that's why I don't know if this this is quite the right moment but that that's

02:27:51 that's why I this is probably my first opportunity to properly apologize to CTS um the

02:28:08 to CTS um the person behind that um night Cipher

02:28:10 Cipher and again

02:28:11 and again [Music]

02:28:12 [Music] um

02:28:14 um um to you know to my um wife at the time time who knew knew absolutely nothing about it um

02:28:36 absolutely nothing about it um so in both respects I I now today I have a sense of deep regret and um I think that

02:28:38 that that's aent those are heartfelt apologies which I will want to repeat to um the

02:28:50 um the other women in in involved in in Du course CTS was in motionally involved with you wasn't

02:29:04 with you wasn't she well I think yes to to in the terms that I've describe as I recall it I I think just talk I think Martin low goes on to talk about us being a devoted couple to

02:29:16 couple to um um being

02:29:26 some heading towards some

02:29:27 some [Music]

02:29:32 [Music] some close clo um close Union or something I I anyway

02:29:40 anyway um be that as it may however I mean however it appeared to Martin um you know here we are together in his flat and and

02:29:51 flat and and um you know the picture will will speak speak for itself I'm sure is she devoted here no I I don't think so not uh no I

02:30:10 here no I I don't think so not uh no I don't think she was I think we we were very uh we were fond of each other we enjoyed

02:30:12 enjoyed um doing the the various

02:30:24 um doing the the various um events around London Greenpeace and socializing

02:30:31 um and um that

02:30:33 um that was you know I don't I don't think it signal to either of us any Lo a long-term uh

02:30:54 relationship did you give any thought to the fact that you were playing with her emotions

02:31:02 emotions um I don't think I didn't feel at the time that I was playing with her emotions I felt I was being both true to Bob Robinson's

02:31:16 being both true to Bob Robinson's identity and and true to my own um Bob Lambert um I mean I'm not just saying that

02:31:17 that I it it was the truth that that Bob

02:31:31 I it it was the truth that that Bob Robinson was a version of Bob Lambert um simply without the police career and I had to be that person I had to be kind and considerate and affectionate um and and I was and um because

02:31:56 um and and I was and um because I I couldn't be any other way other than being kind and affectionate um I had no other

02:32:01 other experience I had no other sexual experience apart from being um a devoted husband Mr Lambert I'm not going to beat about the bush you didn't have to have sex with her did you

02:32:19 didn't have to have sex with her did you I didn't have no that that's quite I I I accept that and by entering into an intimate relationship with her which was deceitful you were playing with her

02:32:26 with her emotions um I can see now I can see now that that is the case um I really don't think I could see

02:32:41 think I could see that uh at the time not withstanding the fact that I had I had

02:32:50 had I had um you know grave um grave

02:32:57 grave concerns wouldn't it have been obvious if you had given it a moment's thought

02:33:03 um well the only um again I I can only say that I was

02:33:18 um acting um

02:33:30 acting as OB Robinson um I I guess

02:33:39 guess um no I I didn't give it proper proper thought I was acting as um Bob

02:33:44 as um Bob Robinson and without any real

02:33:54 um not not you know not the kind of thought that I would have had certainly you know prior to

02:34:02 prior to being um a member of the SDS no I I clearly I would not have ever um acted in that way it was

02:34:20 in that way it was wholly it happened you know wholly in in this

02:34:22 in this um new role this new identity my question was it would have been obvious if you had addressed your mind to

02:34:36 mind to it do you agree I think um well I can see now that it it should have been why didn't you give cts's emotions any thought

02:34:54 um well I can't

02:35:08 um I can't um actually answer that um I can't recall now really why um why I

02:35:18 didn't can I move now to who

02:35:20 to who in the

02:35:22 in the SDS and in wider special Branch knew that you were sexually involved in an intimate

02:35:31 intimate relationship with

02:35:40 CTS did anyone within the SDS know no I don't think I ever had

02:35:52 know no I don't think I ever had certain knowledge that uh anyone in the SDS either management or um

02:35:56 or um field that um that they were aware did anybody speak to you about

02:36:07 speak to you about it

02:36:16 um not not that I can Rec all when I mean it I mean about CTS at

02:36:29 all um I think I had some I think there was one occasion demonstration where I may

02:36:42 where I may have wondered whether

02:36:51 whether um it might have come to management

02:36:59 attention but um yeah could you expand upon that please um I can't immediately I know I I think I may

02:37:09 I may have spoken to it in one of

02:37:20 have spoken to it in one of my he interviews but I don't think I don't think that it left me

02:37:28 left me with um any any certain knowledge that the

02:37:32 that the um that the relationship was known certainly um I would recall if I had ever

02:37:50 ever told my SDS managers about it and um I'm I'm sure that I didn't yeah that wasn't quite my question no let's look at what you did

02:38:01 question no let's look at what you did say to operation Hearn it's at file one sir tab a Roman numeral 2 ID 7 7

02:38:11 22588 page 13 please

02:38:29 if we look first of all at the answer that you've given at the top of the

02:38:40 page it's I think London Greenpeace you know after the meeting talking to a woman who you know had been at the meeting I mean I think you know she been to a few meetings just getting talking I think you know giving her her a lift home and I think during the course of

02:38:54 home and I think during the course of probably late August September having a sexual relationship with her which you know I think was like there was mutual attraction it was alluded to by my management because we just seemed there

02:39:10 management because we just seemed there was a all the things that I did well not all the things but a lot of the demonstrations and things were subject to photographic coverage and I think on one occasion I remember you know at one

02:39:21 one occasion I remember you know at one of our regular meetings there's a photo where I'm with her not sort I mean we're just kind of together in the photograph

02:39:34 just kind of together in the photograph but that was sufficient that was kind of sufficient I suppose for the management to sort of you know be aware that there was at

02:39:43 was at least

02:40:05 that photographic coverage of demonstrations are we talking here about photographs taken by the esquad surveillance team at a demonstration being

02:40:16 demonstration being shown at a meeting at the SDS Safe House almost certainly yes and that was a common

02:40:20 common occurrence

02:40:34 yes and so if you were in a an in an intimate relationship with a woman and that was obvious from your body language it might be captured in surveillance photography well I'm not sure that it

02:40:53 photography well I'm not sure that it would be no I'm not sure that it would be captured in that uh photography um so yeah I I think the it certainly might

02:41:06 be I wouldn't have thought so not on a a demonstration um but it's yes possible and you have indeed told Hearn

02:41:18 possible and you have indeed told Hearn that there was a photograph of you with her which was sufficient well what did you mean by that well

02:41:26 um I I

02:41:35 can't yeah I'm describing it here um it's a

02:41:36 it's a recollection um of

02:41:41 of um being on a [Music]

02:41:52 [Music] demonstration that I'm saying it was alluded to by management but um I think it

02:41:58 was um probably a a long a long way short of actual

02:42:07 actual um sort of certain certain knowledge

02:42:17 um it's it's a collection but

02:42:25 um I think it doesn't

02:42:35 um I don't feel a I certainly can't add to it um

02:42:46 to it um today can we look at the next few paragraphs um the next four thank you you are then asked did anyone approach

02:42:57 you are then asked did anyone approach you about that at all no did you get a tug to the office basically sort of saying what's that about well I think certainly there was you know a discussion probably probably afterwards in the pub just about you

02:43:09 afterwards in the pub just about you know good to see good to see that you you're you know blending in but I think a sort of repeat of the advice that I'd

02:43:21 a sort of repeat of the advice that I'd had about about not getting not getting emotionally involved you

02:43:28 know appears from what you told operation

02:43:34 operation Hearn doesn't it uh that your managers certainly

02:43:35 certainly saw

02:43:42 saw enough to give you some informal advice well yes potentially um

02:43:49 but

02:43:59 um yeah um I don't think I can add add to that now what was your reaction to this

02:44:11 advice

02:44:16 um I can't recall

02:44:22 was it along the lines of what you'd been told before keep it

02:44:28 casual um yes I I guess I guess it would have

02:44:44 been uh you had our understanding is you had four people in the front office at the SDS at the time dcii weight di Barber DS couch and DS hn4 f um did you say DCI wait yes no I think this preceded him this would be DCI

02:45:06 short which of those four managers had seen the

02:45:08 the photograph I can't I really I can't recall are the circumstance as such that it is likely we're not dealing with certainties here likely

02:45:20 certainties here likely that all four of them had seen

02:45:24 it

02:45:28 um it's yes it must be possible I don't

02:45:37 know and there would certainly have been some of the management team at the meeting in the safe house at which the photograph will

02:45:57 um I'm being told uh that uh DCI weight took over in May 1984 approxim right oh

02:46:09 well yes I stand

02:46:17 corrected when uh did your relationship with CTS end

02:46:27 end um

02:46:30 um certainly I think in the

02:46:46 Autumn uh we're not mentioning precisely which university or which country but is it right uh that she went to study at a university outside the United Kingdom

02:46:54 Kingdom yes when did she do that

02:47:03 um I think

02:47:08 um September

02:47:11 September probably early September or late September I can't recall I mean we've got references to

02:47:22 got references to attending an lgp meeting on the 20th so presumably after that

02:47:34 yes when she went to University uh was it left uh that you were still emotionally

02:47:38 attached

02:47:51 um I think yes I think so yes when did she first tell you that she had a place at the

02:48:03 University and was intending to take it up

02:48:04 up [Music]

02:48:15 [Music] um I can't recall it obviously at some point um some point I guess in in September

02:48:22 it's quite a big moment in someone's life to go to university yes you say

02:48:34 life to go to university yes you say some point in September was that pretty early on in the time you knew her

02:48:37 her um yes

02:48:39 um yes yes so would it be fair to say was it before or after your sexual relationship

02:48:53 started uh I can't recall but I would I would think probably

02:49:07 after and once she had told you you would know that she was going to disappear yes to some degree yes did she come back to London for the Christmas

02:49:17 Christmas break um

02:49:23 I can recall her I can recall one

02:49:27 one return to

02:49:30 return to London

02:49:37 London um I think it was earlier than Christmas I think it was um Autumn

02:49:53 um so uh uh that conjur up a picture in my mind of a weekend during term time is that what you're

02:49:55 you're conveying I

02:50:01 can't talk to the turn time term time but that would follow

02:50:13 yes and did you continue your sexual relationship on that

02:50:19 that occasion that I I can't recall um um but I I do recall um that that was the last time um that I saw

02:50:39 her did there come a point at which you finished the relationship with

02:50:44 her um

02:50:50 yes but I think

02:51:00 um I think there may have [Music]

02:51:02 [Music] been um some mutual understanding uh given uh given

02:51:13 given uh given her

02:51:18 her departure from London when did you finish with her

02:51:23 her um I think it would

02:51:45 be well all I can recall is that the last time we met was um a visit to London her visit to London um

02:51:57 so so that was a finish was she very upset when you finished with her

02:52:04 um yes I think yes to

02:52:09 to yes I think she was

02:52:21 yeah was there an occasion when you plant Ed a tree together to Mark the end of your

02:52:24 of your relationship

02:52:31 um I don't [Music]

02:52:37 [Music] remember the planting of a tree in that context but uh uh I do remember

02:52:50 remember um planting a tree or trees that um I

02:52:56 um I had uh with me at the time as part of my part of my work uh cover

02:53:09 work can you remember when you planted a tree

02:53:11 tree together

02:53:17 no can you remember where you were when you did that [Music]

02:53:25 um finbury

02:53:34 Park Jackie gave evidence to the inquiry that she met CTS in the spring of uh sorry that you met up with CTS in the spring of

02:53:45 spring of 1985 is that right no um um no the um

02:53:56 1985 is that right no um um no the um that's I'm I'm certain that that is not not the case

02:54:07 um why did you get involved in a sexual relationship with

02:54:12 CTS um

02:54:21 I think because

02:54:23 because we became close friends we were

02:54:41 um we were in a friendship and then in a

02:54:50 a um a sexual relationship together um one I

02:55:00 think it's um clearly I can see today it shouldn't have happened but at the time um I allowed it I allowed it to

02:55:16 happen did you do it to bolster your cover I didn't do it to bolster my cover um but the clearly you know it did have

02:55:25 have some

02:55:30 some um benefits to my cover but that wasn't the

02:55:31 the reason why I did

02:55:41 it and can we take it from cts's relative prominence in London green pece that you didn't do it to obtain

02:55:50 intelligence um

02:56:02 no it's very early on in your deployment isn't it it's within the first few months

02:56:10 months yes so there's no question of you having psychologically lost yourself or anything like that not well I'm not qualified to speak to that um um what I I

02:56:27 mean what I would say is that um

02:56:29 um the the circumstances of the um the meeting or the the social occasion Martin Low's flat uh

02:56:46 social occasion Martin Low's flat uh that photograph that that does bring back

02:56:52 back Recollections of what was happening in uh Bob

02:56:59 uh Bob Robinson's life role at that time and I I think

02:57:05 I think that what was happening at that time is uh sort relevant to um

02:57:15 my actions um now

02:57:19 um now I me I mean just

02:57:32 I me I mean just very very briefly um Martin low who was in a sense Martin low was a sort of a bit of

02:57:33 bit of a a

02:57:34 a a mentor he he was um a

02:57:48 mentor he he was um a figure um for both myself and and CTS you know we both newcomers to the group and he invites us around to his flat um and um at that

02:58:05 um at that time I was uh very anxious because Martin low um announced at a London Greenpeace meeting that he'

02:58:14 that he' [Music]

02:58:26 [Music] phoned phoned my uh place of employment and uh whoever answered the phone um didn't know me now that

02:58:34 now that um that was a cause of great uh

02:58:37 great uh concern to me um and um you know you know I had I I had to deal that was one of of the things that

02:59:01 deal that was one of of the things that was one of the things that I was dealing with at that time at a very early stage in my uh deployment it was obviously very uh

02:59:04 very uh stressful

02:59:05 stressful um and I

02:59:08 um and I did I won't go

02:59:18 into the um what I did all the various things there but I I just um put that forward a recent recollection following

02:59:35 forward a recent recollection following reading Martin low statement and looking at the photographs just to um

02:59:37 um um give an indication of um the sort of pressures um that I was under at the

02:59:56 was under at the time let me put the question more simply and a yes or no will suffice you knew who you really were didn't you um I think I never lost sight of who I really

03:00:09 I really was um but equally I think only a qualified uh clinical psychiatrist of the stature of um Gordon harble would be able to um properly

03:00:23 to um properly properly um assess the extent to which playing the role the way that I

03:00:45 playing the role the way that I did um my Alter Ego Bob Robinson um only he would someone of his stature could fully um

03:00:54 fully um assess the impact of of that role on my uh

03:01:02 Behavior entering into a sexual relationship with CTS was completely unnecessary wasn't it I I I can't say I can't really uh answer that it's the reality that this was just

03:01:19 that it's the reality that this was just an opportunity for a sexual relationship with a younger woman no I I think um what something which I think is far more

03:01:29 more simple uh to to to explain is is

03:01:44 simple uh to to to explain is is just the extent to which I was following my instructions you see to form close friendships that was the instruction um and I UND I understood why because

03:01:55 um and I UND I understood why because I'd worked on cquad previously I knew that

03:01:56 that um I knew that the SDS needed to provide information that came from those those levels of friendship

03:02:14 from those those levels of friendship and that's what I was doing from day one um

03:02:27 let's be clear Mr Lambert you had been told not to get emotionally involved you got emotionally involved didn't you I was never

03:02:28 was never told clearly or directly you know you must not get emotionally involved and

03:02:42 must not get emotionally involved and furthermore I was being in you know it seems to me now that I was be being given

03:02:43 given two um

03:02:51 two um conflicting um pieces of advice um you know the need to form close friendships um that is what led

03:03:02 um that is what led to this sexual relationship um without that imperative it wouldn't have Arisen it was not me seeking sexual

03:03:16 was not me seeking sexual gratification as as I read I can

03:03:28 gratification as as I read I can understand why people would would say that um I'm sure that it wasn't and if I had got if I had [Music]

03:03:35 [Music] um kept my emotions entirely out of Bob Robinson's life um I I don't you know I I would have

03:03:53 I think I would have been acting

03:03:56 acting um outside of my my role I'd like to explore with you the implication of that answer is it your evidence to this

03:04:12 your evidence to this inquiry that you were doing it for the job no no I'm saying that it no I'm saying it wasn't s sexual gratification ification what was it well I think it was an

03:04:21 was an unintended consequence of the directions that I had to form close

03:04:35 friendships can we take that down now please and can we go to the subject of the East London animal rights please uh volume Five tab c a

03:04:50 [Music]

03:05:03 20270 uh this is a report dated the 10th of October 1984 I am showing it to you because it is the first report that we have

03:05:18 is the first report that we have recovered about the East London animal rights which is attributed to you uh at paragraph two you will see through some heavy privacy

03:05:28 privacy redactions uh that it is a report uh about the group planning a demonstration at the Bell Lane Market so

03:05:43 demonstration at the Bell Lane Market so this is a demonstration against the meat trade isn't it yes

03:05:49 it yes if you need to look at the report some more you're very welcome to do so but what I'm interested in uh is if we zoom

03:06:02 what I'm interested in uh is if we zoom out a little bit and have a look please at paragraph five at the bottom of the

03:06:14 page says a provisional date for the first demonstration has been set for Sunday the 21st of October 1984 at this stage it is difficult to assess likely support much depending on the publicity afforded to it by the

03:06:27 afforded to it by the buav it is known though that both Islington animal rights and badgers have promised to support the demonstration and this alone could

03:06:39 demonstration and this alone could ensure a total presence of approximately 30 people certainly there is a feeling of optimism amongst members of Ila after their Slaughter house visual in Monier

03:06:53 their Slaughter house visual in Monier Road on Saturday the 29th of September 1984 which they assess attracted 100 supporters uh it is the connection to

03:07:08 supporters uh it is the connection to Islington animal rights and badges that I would like to draw your attention to my question is uh did you get into

03:07:19 my question is uh did you get into Ela through your contacts with Islington animal rights and

03:07:30 badges uh yes yes to some extent uh but by this time there there was probably I would have had

03:07:45 have had opportunities at various um National or London wide demonstrations to meet uh activists from other groups um so there was a sort of

03:08:00 groups um so there was a sort of a um I I was building up a network I guess

03:08:08 guess of the very least contacts people I knew and um that would that would explain it yeah so you might well have come into contact with people from Ila long before this

03:08:14 this yes uh as for your motive for reporting on Ela and mixing with its members is it the same as your motives for

03:08:27 the same as your motives for infiltrating Islington animal rights and badges

03:08:29 badges yes were you active on Essex hunt sabotages uh I may have been one you know once or twice um

03:08:47 know once or twice um my the visual memories of huntt abs that I have all tend to be Sur Union and South southw but yes I

03:08:59 southw but yes I think

03:09:07 think um I think I probably did do some um Essex ones as well earlier

03:09:18 Essex ones as well earlier on uh can we take that document down now and go to the document which is file 5 tab

03:09:20 tab 2520

03:09:36 318 uh this is a uh intelligence report dated the

03:09:38 dated the 19th uh of October

03:09:54 1984 it's an individual report uh on this the woman we are calling Jackie and you of course know who Jackie really is don't you yes yes

03:10:05 U I'll give you a moment just to look perhaps at the first at paragraphs two and three first of all

03:10:27 m

03:10:55 and then if you could look please and refresh your memory from paragraphs 4 and five

03:11:30 thank you and over the page to look at paragraph six and paragraph

03:11:48 7 yes there is a lot of detailed intelligence about Jackie in this document isn't there yes uh so can we take it that uh you knew a good deal about her by this time

03:12:07 uh um yes and did you obtain uh this intelligence from personal knowledge of

03:12:17 Jackie um yes how had you met her

03:12:23 her um I can't be certain um but um I do have a a

03:12:33 a a recollection uh of of talking to

03:12:47 of talking to her at a demonstration at or a protest in

03:12:48 in inside Hackney Town Hall um this that would be around this

03:13:00 time whether that was the very first time I'm not

03:13:11 sure can you recall when you first met her was it by which I mean was it well before the date of this report or not I'm sorry was it before well before the date of this report or

03:13:28 date of this report or not um I wouldn't know I don't think it was necessarily well before because um

03:13:34 um the it could literally have been um a

03:13:41 been um a conversation after that um Hackney Town Hall event of course what what was the date of that I the only report we've not for that sort of demonstration is a

03:13:53 for that sort of demonstration is a month later in in November right okay well

03:14:10 um so but in any event when you know when I submitted the intelligence for this report um clearly you know I I had meta and

03:14:19 and um was able to report report this based on conversation with

03:14:26 with her almost certainly yes were you in a sexual relationship with Jackie by this

03:14:38 with Jackie by this point um I can't recall the I mean you know the the chronology uh I can't recall

03:14:59 uh Jackie at this stage is an activist yes uh but not involved in any serious offender

03:15:06 offender yes and she is 23 years old

03:15:09 old yes in your conversations with Jackie what impression did you form of her back ground and her

03:15:20 ground and her circumstances

03:15:26 um I found the impression that

03:15:35 um she had

03:15:43 um had a impression that she had had

03:15:52 some difficult times

03:15:58 um uh growing up um and that she was when I met her that she had become a very uh

03:16:09 very uh resourceful and

03:16:18 um very [Music]

03:16:19 [Music] um very

03:16:34 capable uh person and were you aware that she was living alone in a bed bedsit in Hackney

03:16:36 Hackney um no when I when I first visited her at home um

03:16:48 home um you know I found that you know her home was really um a

03:16:59 really um a very a very well-kept flat

03:17:05 flat uh a ground floor flat um um

03:17:14 um um a I think it was a a council tency and um

03:17:17 and um was she living alone

03:17:26 alone um I think the very first time I visited there she she had a um a Lo a student

03:17:33 lodger but

03:17:49 um otherwise yes she was living alone she's described it as a really rough estate is that a fair description

03:17:52 um well

03:18:10 I I don't it's not my recollection I'm sure there was a level you know a level of crime roundabout I I didn't uh

03:18:18 ever I didn't experien that it was it was

03:18:25 was um facing sort of facing onto a main road it w it wasn't if it was part of an estate then it was in quite a good a good position it wasn't

03:18:36 it wasn't um a

03:18:43 um a big Council block it was quite a you know quite a nice flat

03:18:56 know quite a nice flat and she's told the inquiry that she had uh left her family and had been living alone since the age of 17 did you know that

03:19:08 17 did you know that well probably not initially and but at some point I got got a general

03:19:14 general um a general impression of that but but equally

03:19:25 I you know came I I I think I came to see that she had quite a good

03:19:30 um um Family Support

03:19:43 um Family Support Network friends and family um you know sh um she was um very um

03:19:49 very competent very

03:19:56 um um

03:20:03 yeah so this is a point at which we need to turn off the YouTube feed yes can that be done and can I be told when it has been done

03:20:23 would would it be easier to take an early

03:20:32 early lunch probably and and probably safer as well we'll resume at 52 all

03:20:45 rise

03:22:45 e e

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