Undercover police unit closed down over unjustified surveillance, spycops inquiry told

PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher, who closed the SDS when he was at Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorist division. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA

An undercover police unit that spied on tens of thousands of political activists had to be shut down amid severe criticisms and recriminations, the spycops public inquiry has heard.

Jon Boutcher, a senior police officer who took over responsibility for the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) unit, concluded within months that it had to be wound up because it was conducting unjustified surveillance and was badly run.