A former undercover police officer, dubbed the 'Met's Mata Hari', shockingly married the prominent animal rights activist she was tasked with surveilling, a public inquiry has heard.
The Deep Cover Operation
The agent, who operated under the fake identity Christine Green, was a member of the secretive Special Demonstration Squad (SDS). Her undercover deployment began in November 1994 and lasted for five years, during which she infiltrated a group of animal rights activists.
Her involvement with the group became so deep that she participated in a major raid on Crow Hill Farm near Ringwood in 1998. The group, which was part of the Animal Liberation Front, released up to 6,000 mink into the countryside. Many of the predatory animals had to be killed to protect local pets and livestock.
The Metropolitan Police has since admitted that its actions, through Green's participation, impacted the Hampshire police investigation, and no charges were ever brought over the attack.
A Personal Betrayal and a New Life
During her deployment, Green became intimately involved with a campaigner, a prominent saboteur who was in his 30s at the time. The relationship developed to such an extent that she left her husband and resigned from the Metropolitan Police altogether.
After quitting the force, she revealed her true identity to her activist partner. The couple then lived in Cornwall and Scotland before eventually settling in Sweden, according to reports.
Her story is now set to be examined in detail by the long-running Undercover Policing Inquiry in London. The inquiry's lead lawyer, David Barr KC, confirmed that her case will be a focus, stating it illustrates that the risks of undercover officers forming inappropriate relationships are not confined to male officers.
Aftermath and Official Scrutiny
In 2018, the Met officially confirmed that 'Christine Green' – internally known as 'Agent 26' – was working for them. Green later blasted the force for publicly unmasking her while protecting the identities of the senior officers who had authorised her participation in the criminal raid.
She stated that the decision had subjected her to vilification and media scrutiny, exacerbated by her ill health, and said it was the police force that should hold its head in shame.
Green revealed she has undergone a great deal of therapy and counselling to deal with the psychological damage caused by her covert work. The public inquiry will now investigate the circumstances under which her managers authorised her to take part in criminal activity and why local police were not informed.
