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An undercover police officer is facing serious allegations that he used public money to fund a romantic getaway to Venice with a woman he was secretly deceiving as part of his covert role, a public inquiry has been told.
Carlo Soracchi, who operated undercover between 2000 and 2006, posed as a political activist while infiltrating socialist and anti-fascist groups. Internal Metropolitan Police documents reveal that the force covered the cost of flights and accommodation for a trip to Venice, stating that Soracchi was travelling with UK campaigners to “consolidate and extend” ties with Italian socialists.
However, a woman known as Lindsey, who was in a year-long intimate relationship with Soracchi at the time, told the inquiry the trip was a private, romantic break for just the two of them. She described it as a “classic romantic break in a city associated with romance,” saying they were together almost constantly during the three-day visit.
According to Lindsey, they spent their time sightseeing, admiring Venice’s historic architecture, and dining in local restaurants. She said they stayed in a “beautiful old apartment” in the city centre, adding that the setting perfectly matched the romantic atmosphere of the trip.
Lindsey is one of three women who say they were misled into sexual relationships with Soracchi while he was working undercover. The inquiry also heard evidence from Donna McLean, who was in a two-year relationship with him. She said Soracchi proposed marriage during their relationship and she accepted. Soracchi denies proposing.
Both women told the inquiry this week that Soracchi’s written account of their relationships contains numerous falsehoods.
In a statement to the inquiry, Soracchi said the trip had been authorised and funded by the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), the covert unit he worked for. He claimed the purpose of the visit was to enable discussions between Socialist party activists and like-minded Italian counterparts. The total cost of the trip has not been made public.
An official police document stated that the Venice visit was used to strengthen Soracchi’s undercover identity and to gather intelligence on potential links between the Socialist party and Italian anarchist groups.
When questioned by inquiry counsel, Lindsey said there were no meetings with Italian activists or anarchist groups during the trip.
The inquiry also heard that one of Soracchi’s supervisors, Detective Sergeant Stephen Beels, travelled to Italy at the same time to provide support. Police records show that his flights and accommodation in Verona, approximately 75 miles from Venice, were also funded by the force.
The public inquiry, chaired by retired judge Sir John Mitting, is investigating the long-running practice of deploying undercover officers to infiltrate predominantly leftwing political groups between 1968 and at least 2010. It has previously heard that several officers formed intimate relationships with women without revealing their true identities as police spies.
Soracchi is scheduled to give evidence over four days beginning Monday, as the inquiry continues to examine the ethics, oversight and impact of undercover policing operations.
