London police apologize for sex behavior of undercover cops

Scotland Yard has settled legal claims from seven women who said undercover police had formed “intimate sexual relationships” with them while investigating movements they were involved in.

The police Friday apologized for the “totally unacceptable” behavior of a number of undercover police in the now-disbanded units.

The terms of the settlement have not been made public but included the extensive written apology.

The police worked for the Special Demonstration Squad, an undercover unit within Special Branch until 2008, and for the National Public Order Intelligence Unit that ceased operation in 2011.

The statement said some undercover officers seeking to infiltrate protest groups entered into long-term intimate relationships with women involved with the groups being investigated.

It said the sexual relationships were “abusive, deceitful, manipulative and wrong.”