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Mark Jenner, who operated undercover under the alias Mark Cassidy, is a former Metropolitan Police officer who infiltrated a left-wing activist group in east London for several years. His activities and personal relationships have become a focal point in the ongoing Undercover Policing Inquiry, which aims to investigate the practices of the Met’s Special Demonstration Squad. Throughout his deployment, Jenner maintained a five-year intimate relationship with an activist known only as Alison, despite being married with children in his real life. The two lived as a couple, sharing holidays and attending family events together.
Alison recently testified at the inquiry alongside Jenner’s ex-wife, shedding light on the complex and deeply personal nature of Jenner’s infiltration. According to the evidence, Jenner’s significant relationship with Alison was not fully disclosed in his official reports to Scotland Yard. Alison expressed her distress and frustration, stating, “There are so many layers of lies,” and suggested either a cover-up by Jenner’s superiors or their complete incompetence. The activist first encountered Jenner at the Colin Roach Centre in Hackney, an organisation focused on supporting local families affected by policing and campaigning alongside trade unions and anti-fascist groups.
During their relationship, Jenner, posing as Mr Cassidy, became a trusted and active member of the group. Alison described him as a practical and unselfish individual, often driving other activists home after meetings. Their partnership began in early 1996, and Alison recalled feeling safe and compatible with him. Despite being fully integrated into Alison’s social circle, he never introduced her to his own family, claiming a complicated past involving a deceased father, an estranged mother, and a grandmother who raised him. Official documents revealed Jenner sought travel permissions for supposed activist-related duties, which were in reality holidays with Alison to locations like Israel, Thailand, and Amsterdam. When eventually Alison learned of his true identity as an undercover officer, she felt profoundly betrayed and disturbed, telling the inquiry, “His true motivation was about sexual gratification.”
The relationship abruptly ended in 2000 when Jenner left Alison with a letter attributing his departure to depression and unresolved past issues. Alison has since met with Jenner’s ex-wife, who also described feelings of betrayal and lack of support from the police. Both women believe that Jenner deceived them simultaneously, with Alison noting, “When he told me he was going to work, he was going home. And when he told her he was going to work he was coming home with me.” The ex-wife criticized the police culture that allowed such deception, asserting that personal gratification and career ambitions were prioritized over family welfare and described the collusion as extending high up the chain of command.
In response to these revelations, Alison has become an advocate supporting other women who were similarly deceived, estimating that there may be around 50 women affected by these abusive undercover tactics. She helped establish the group Police Spies Out of Our Lives, providing a platform for women to share their experiences. Closing her testimony, Alison called for legislative reforms and accountability, stating the need to confront “institutionalised sexism, misogyny, and racism in the police,” and insisted that honors given to officers involved should be revoked. She expressed hope that the inquiry’s recommendations would reflect these demands and serve as a lasting legacy.
The Metropolitan Police publicly acknowledged the wrongdoing and the failures of management in handling undercover officers’ illicit relationships. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Jon Savell described the behavior as “abusive, deceitful, manipulative and wrong,” offering an unreserved apology to the women affected. He emphasized that undercover policing has since undergone significant reforms, now operating under stricter governance, ethical standards, and legal frameworks. Jenner is expected to testify over four days at the inquiry. Alison urged him and others involved to confront their past honestly, demanding, “No more excuses. No more amnesia. No more covering each other’s backs. No more secrets and lies.” The inquiry into these controversial policing practices continues
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