Probe into ‘false name’ claim

SCOTLAND Yard has called in the police watchdog over allegations that an undercover officer took part in a criminal trial under a false name.

Jim Boyling, a specialist operations Detective Constable with the Met Police, is accused of maintaining an alias throughout court proceedings after being arrested following a demonstration at the headquarters of London Underground in 1996. A spokesman said the Independent Police Complaints Commission was called in yesterday with a view to making a formal referral today. He added: “This follows consideration of allegations relating to historic covert police deployments.”

The allegations forced the postponement of the publication of a review of the future of undercover policing, which was scheduled for yesterday.