Undercover officer allegedly used public money for romantic break in Venice | Undercover police and policing
An undercover police officer is facing allegations that he used taxpayers’ money to have a romantic getaway in Venice with a woman he was cheating on, a public inquiry into spy cops has heard.
Carlo Soracchi posed as an activist for six years while infiltrating socialist and anti-fascist campaign groups.
Internal documents show the Metropolitan police paid for the traveler’s flights and accommodation on the grounds that he was traveling with a group of British campaigners to “consolidate and expand” relations with Italian socialists.
But the woman he cheated on for a year-long intimate relationship told the inquest she went with him for “a classic romantic getaway in a city associated with romance”.
The woman, known as Lindsey, said they were the only two people on the three-day trip and were only separated for 20 minutes. He said they spent their time visiting tourist attractions, appreciating the city’s architecture and eating at restaurants.
Lindsey was one of three women Soracchi had sexual relations with while undercover. He also had a two-year relationship with Donna McLean, during which time he proposed to her and she accepted. He denies that he did it.
Giving evidence to the inquiry this week, Lindsey and McLean said Soracchi told a series of lies about his dealings with them.
Soracchi, who went undercover between 2000 and 2006, is expected to be questioned in the investigation for four days next week, starting from Monday.
The spy police investigation, led by retired judge Sir John Mitting, is examining how police sent undercover officers to infiltrate mostly left-wing campaign groups between 1968 and at least 2010.
Many of the men formed relationships with the women without disclosing that they were police officers spying on political groups.
Socialite Lindsey said she fell in love with Soracchi in 2001 but would not have consented to the relationship if she had known his true identity.
He described how Soracchi surprised him with plane tickets to Venice just before Christmas that year. “I remember being so overwhelmed and flattered that he organized this for us. I felt loved.” he said.
He said they stayed in a “beautiful… old apartment” in the center of Venice, which “fit very well with the whole setting of the visit.”
In a written statement, Soracchi said the Special Demonstration Squad, the undercover police unit where he worked, authorized and paid for the trip. “The aim was for Socialist party activists to have discussions with Italian activists with similar tendencies,” he said. The cost of the trip was not disclosed.
An official document noted that the trip was used “to develop the legend and also to establish the relationship of the Socialist party with the Italians.” [extreme leftwing] anarchist groups”.
Inquiry barrister Hannah Wyatt asked Lindsey: “Did you or Soracchi meet any Italian anarchist groups or Italian activists while you were in Italy?” Lindsey replied: “No.”
The inquest also heard that one of Soracchi’s superiors, DS Stephen Beels, also traveled separately to Italy at the same time to support him. Police also covered Beels’ flight and lodging expenses in Verona, 75 miles (120 km) from Venice.
