Undercover officer had sexual relationship, tribunal told

Det Con Jim Boyling worked for the now-disbanded Special Demonstration Squad

An undercover Metropolitan Police officer had a sexual relationship with a female activist before marrying another, a tribunal has been told.

Ex-Det Con James Boyling was sacked in 2018 over his relationship with his now ex-wife.

He faces new misconduct proceedings over a six-month relationship with another woman, known as Monica, in 1997. He denies gross misconduct.

The tribunal heard his manager also had sexual relationships with activists.

Mr Boyling is accused of breaching the force's standards for authority respect and courtesy, honesty and integrity and discreditable conduct.

He admits the relationship with Monica but denies his actions amount to gross misconduct.

The officer, who used the pseudonym Jim Sutton, was part of the Met's Special Demonstration Squad when he met both activists through his undercover work within Reclaim the Streets.

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Det Con Boyling used the name Jim Sutton when he infiltrated the campaign group

The disciplinary panel in Southwark was told that a detective inspector who line managed Mr Boyling at the time, named as N10, admitted to sexual relationships with four female activists while he was undercover between 1983 and 1987 - and got one of them pregnant.

And another officer, named as N11, also had sexual relationships with female activists and resumed his undercover identity without authorisation, the panel was told.

Sexual relationships between undercover officers and activists were not explicitly banned, the hearing was told.

However they were told to make them "fleeting" and "disastrous", the panel heard.

Guidance read out to the tribunal said: "While you may try to avoid any sexual encounter, there may come a time when your lack of interest may become suspicious.

"If you have no other option but to become involved with [an activist], you should have fleeting, disastrous relationships with individuals who are not important to your sources of information."

Mr Boyling did not tell bosses he was in the relationship with Monica despite having two meetings a week with them, the hearing was told.

They were "definitely known as a couple" and attended Glastonbury Festival and an Earth First gathering together, the tribunal was told.

Monica was left "very, very angry" after Mr Boyling was exposed as an undercover officer in a Guardian article in 2011, the panel heard.

Dan Hobbs, representing the Met Police, told the tribunal that Mr Boyling "makes no distinction between brief liaisons [to maintain cover] and long-term sexual relationships."

His lawyer Alisdair Williamson KC argued the rules on relationships were unclear.

In December 2018, the CPS decided not to prosecute Mr Boyling.

The tribunal is expected to return a decision on Friday.

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