Undercover Pc tells of 'nightmare'

Pc Mark Kennedy has told how his life has become a 'living nightmare'
12 April 2012

The undercover policeman who controversially posed as an environmental activist has broken his silence to describe how his life has become a "living nightmare".

Mark Kennedy told The Mail on Sunday he has escaped to the United States amid fears for his safety.

His secret role was revealed earlier this week when a trial of six people accused of planning to invade Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station collapsed as prosecutors dropped the charges.

The protesters' legal team claimed the decision was made after Mr Kennedy, a former Metropolitan Police officer who infiltrated the group in the guise of a long-haired climber called Mark Stone, offered to give evidence on their behalf.

In an extensive interview with the newspaper, Mr Kennedy said he believed tape recordings secretly made by him were withheld from the court by police for fear it would destroy the prosecution's case.

He told the paper: "The truth of the matter is that the tapes clearly show that the six defendants who were due to go on trial had not joined any conspiracy. The tapes I made meant that the police couldn't prove their case."

But the 41-year-old, shown in photographs to have cropped his long hair, denied "going rogue" and siding with the protesters.

"I can't sleep," he said. "I have lost weight and am constantly on edge. I barricade the door with chairs at night. I am in genuine fear for my life. I have been told by activists to watch my back as people are out to get me."

He said officers knew of his movements at all times and that he kept police "a step ahead of the game" during planned protests. He said BlackBerry had a tracking device and added: "I had a cover officer whom I spoke to numerous times a day.

He admitted succumbing to "a sort of Stockholm syndrome" but said he "never lost sight of his work".

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