Ex-spy cop denies deceiving activist into sex

Andrew Coles, who served as an undercover officer with the Metropolitan Police Service’s (MPS) Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) between 1990 and 1995, has denied claims that he deceived an activist, known as Jessica, into a sexual relationship. The MPS has accepted that a sexual relationship occurred, but Coles insists he is the victim of deceit.

The activities of the SDS, which infiltrated political and protest groups, have been under examination by the Undercover Policing Inquiry (UCPI) for the past decade. The inquiry is investigating allegations that undercover officers deceived women into sexual relationships. Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police commissioner, stated that the force accepted Coles had a sexual relationship with Jessica and expressed disappointment that he had not been truthful with the inquiry.

Claims of Deception

Jessica, an animal rights activist, stated she first met the undercover officer, then using the name Andy Davey, in 1991 while living in a shared east London terrace. She was 19 at the time and described Davey as an awkward older man who drove a van. She claims he groomed her and that they slept together multiple times a week, stating that while she did not describe it as rape, it was against her consent as she did not know his true identity. Coles, who was 32 and married with children at the time, admits to sharing Jessica's bed on one occasion but vehemently denies any sexual contact, stating, "Her story is not true, absolutely not true."

Evidence in the case includes two handwritten letters from Jessica dating from 1993. Coles has suggested that the second letter, which discusses the possibility of seeing other people, may have been written later and added to the evidence bundle. He claims the handwriting in this letter is different from the first, describing the first as a "childlike scrawl" and the second as "an elegant, joined-up cursive." Forensic graphologist Kate Barr told the BBC that Jessica's handwriting "appeared to vary" and that it was possible she had written both letters around the same time.

Undercover Operations

Coles, who is now 66 and lives in Cambridgeshire, acknowledged that resilience, bravery, and ruthlessness were qualities needed in an undercover officer. He admitted to taking drugs, such as cannabis, and participating in activities like squirting a bottle of acid over a butcher's shop window and being involved in a raid on a chicken farm to maintain his cover. He stated that he believed he did a good job protecting society from dangerous people.

The UCPI, launched in 2015, is also examining claims that officers spied on the family of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, used the names of dead children, and infiltrated groups without justification. Coles was questioned about references in his intelligence reports to the "good looks" of female activists, to which he replied that it was "a matter of... note." Several witnesses described him as a "sex pest," a "creep," and a "lech," with some alleging he pursued women and sought unwanted sexual encounters. Three people reported seeing him behaving intimately with Jessica or emerging from her bedroom in his boxer shorts, claims Coles described as "completely made-up."

Coles's undercover past was revealed in 2014 by his brother, broadcaster the Reverend Richard Coles, in his autobiography. Andrew Coles was confirmed as operative HN2 at the UCPI in 2018. He stated that while his brother writing about him would have been easier if he had not, he held no ill will. For Jessica, the revelation caused her world to "come to a crashing halt."