UK: Undercover cop tricked woman for 19 years using backstopped identity, even had a kid with her

A police officer in the UK used a fake identity to trick a woman into a 19-year long relationship and even had a child with her. As per a report by the Guardian, the officer never told the woman he was a policeman and lied about his identity on their child’s birth certificate. In 2020, when they were about to get married, she discovered the truth - that he was not a businessman but a cop who had been deceiving her for nearly 20 years. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is now looking into senior officers at Avon and Somerset police who knew about this relationship back in 2013 but didn’t tell the woman until seven years later. The IOPC confirmed they are investigating the case. The woman, known as “Mary” to protect her identity, doesn’t want to talk publicly about it. But her family says she’s really suffering because of it. The news has been incredibly tough on her family too. They claim the police have bullied and threatened them over the last three years to keep them from talking to the media. The police warned them that if the public found out about this 19-year relationship, it could lead to trouble. But now, the family believes these warnings were just to keep them quiet about what they see as a big problem. Avon and Somerset police didn’t comment before this story came out, but later, they apologized. They said that a former officer had an inappropriate relationship with a member of the public while using a fake name. They said they were deeply sorry and that they take their duty to care for people seriously. No one knows why the undercover cop began this relationship with Mary in 2001. Mary wasn’t being watched by the police, and her family had nothing to do with criminals. Sometimes, undercover cops try to build trust by forming relationships, even if they’re not real. Mary is a respected member of her community with a good job. Her family remembers the undercover officer as someone who liked cars and working out. He was friendly, but he could also be controlling. When Mary had problems with their relationship, he would try to win over her family. He made her give up her male friends, which was controlling. Their relationship got serious, and he became a stepdad to her daughter from a previous relationship. They also had a son together. But he never told Mary he was a police officer. In 2013, after 12 years, he left the police, but nobody knows why. The police found out that he had deceived Mary in 2013 but didn’t tell her until 2020, even though he was no longer a cop. This allowed him to keep up the act. He continued being a father to Mary’s son and a stepdad to her daughter. They even got engaged in 2019. In August 2020, the police finally told Mary the truth, and it was a shock. They spoke to her while her children were in bed, and then she had a more detailed talk with other police officers at a hotel. The IOPC is now investigating how this 19-year relationship happened and why the police waited so long to tell Mary. They are also looking into the West Midlands police, where the officer worked from 2001 to 2006. The police from West Midlands said they knew about the allegations but couldn’t comment because of the investigation. The IOPC is also looking into complaints from people affected by the undercover officer’s behavior and claims that senior officers kept information from them. Mary’s story is similar to cases in the “spycops” scandal where undercover police officers had relationships with people while spying on political groups. But in Mary’s case, her partner wasn’t spying on anyone, just involved in regular police work. Police rules say undercover officers can’t have intimate relationships while using fake identities. Avon and Somerset police referred this case to a public inquiry in 2016. For the past three years, Mary and her family have been struggling with what to do because the police told them not to speak out, saying it could lead to trouble. But now, they believe they’ve been pushed around by the police twice - first by the undercover officer and then by his bosses, who they think are hiding the truth. They are worried about what their community might think if they find out about the relationship and wrongly accuse Mary of working with the police. The family has asked the police to admit their mistakes and clear their name publicly, but the police have refused, saying it’s too risky. The family now thinks it’s more dangerous to stay quiet and want the police to be held responsible for what happened. They feel like they’ve been silenced for too long.