Met accused of racism over spying on justice campaigns

Two grief-stricken fathers have criticised police for using undercover officers to spy on their campaigns to secure justice for their sons.

- Rob Evans

At the undercover policing inquiry yesterday, they accused the police of racism for spying on them instead of helping them find out what had happened to their sons.

John Burke-Monerville, 81, said he believed police assaulted his son Trevor Monerville, causing him long-term brain damage. The police kept a secret file on the family's campaign for justice.

After Monerville was murdered years later, an undercover officer recorded details of two memorial events that were held to remember him. Burke-Monerville told the inquiry: "The discovery that I, my family and the campaign we set up for justice for my son were spied on by undercover police has had a significant traumatic impact on me."

The inquiry also heard from Richard Adams, whose 15-year-old son Rolan was murdered in a racist attack. He asked why the police had spied on his family's campaign and failed to protect black people.