Challenge over Pc's seven years undercover as 'eco-warrior'

Former Metropolitan Police Pc Mark Kennedy spent at least seven years at the heart of a loose network of campaigners behind a series of protests. The long-haired and tattooed climber was involved in demonstrations linked to the environment, anti-fascism and animal rights across the country.

But he was outed after the mass arrest of 114 protesters as police feared an attempt would be made to shut down Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station in 2009.

The trial of six protesters accused of conspiring to shut down the coal-fired Nottinghamshire power station collapsed yesterday after prosecutors dropped the case.

The move came amid claims from the defendants that Mr Kennedy had apologised for his actions and offered to support them in court.

The undercover officer, who told them it cost up to 250,000 a year to employ him, is believed to have resigned from the police and moved overseas.

Solicitor Mike Schwarz questioned the need to spend vast amounts of money and resources infiltrating a "peaceful, accountable and democratic" group.

And he called for an inquiry into the "murky" police tactics as he said the case raises concerns over the role of an officer as "agent provocateur".

The solicitor was joined by Green Party politician Jenny Jones, who said she would ask Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson how many more officers are undercover.

Mrs Jones, a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, said the protesters were from the "pink and fluffy end of the spectrum". She said: "They are not planning to assassinate the Prime Minister or blow up a Tube train.

"In the latest case they simply wanted to halt production at a power plant for a day to get some media coverage and help save the planet.

"With money so tight, the police have to pick their targets carefully, and picking on a bunch of non-violent environmental protesters seems like a clear waste of money."

Emma Boon, of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: "A staggeringly large sum of taxpayers' money has been spent keeping this officer undercover for a decade and members of the public will question whether this was worth it if this court case has now collapsed."

The development came at Nottingham Crown Court after the protesters' legal team challenged prosecutors to disclose evidence of Mr Kennedy's involvement.

Solicitors at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed new material had emerged but denied it was linked to the undercover officer.

Mr Schwarz said: "I have no doubt that our attempts to get disclosure about Mr Kennedy's role has led to the collapse of the trial.

"It is no coincidence that just 48 hours after we told the CPS our clients could not receive a fair trial unless they disclosed material about Kennedy, they halted the prosecution."

"Given that Kennedy was, until recently, willing to assist the defence, one has to ask if the police were facing up to the possibility their undercover agent had turned native."

The Met declined to comment.

Question of entrapment

QUESTIONS have been raised about whether undercover police officer Mark Kennedy entrapped activists into carrying out criminal acts.

The former Met officer was accused of crossing the line between monitoring environmental protests and encouraging law breaking.

Campaigners said Kennedy was an expert climber who often scaled pylons and trees to place banners and disrupt businesses.

Defence lawyer Mike Schwarz said the officer may have acted as an agent provocateur and called for an inquiry.