View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
November 6, 2003updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Daly charges dropped due to lack of evidence

By Press Gazette

Daly during his training; inset, PC Pulling in his Ku Klux Klan hood

BBC journalist Mark Daly, who spent nearly six months undercover exposing racism in the Greater Manchester and North Wales police forces, will not be prosecuted due to insufficient evidence.

Daly was arrested in August for obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception, after police were tipped off about his filming for the documentary The Secret Policemen, broadcast last month.

He was arrested on suspicion of gaining his salary by deception and damaging police property, after concealing a pinhole camera in his bulletproof vest.

But the Crown Prosecution Service said this week it had informed Greater Manchester Police that there was insufficient evidence to bring Daly to court for deception.

The BBC said it welcomed news that the CPS would not bring charges against Daly. He filmed police officers making racist comments, including PC Rob Pulling using a pillow cover as a Ku Klux Klan hood, and confessing that he had it in him to “murder a fucking Paki bastard”.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

The documentary has sent shockwaves through the police force and the country at large, after six officers resigned and two others were suspended, prompting the Police Complaints Authority to launch an investigation. The BBC said it would hand over additional film evidence to the police.

Last week the Commission for Racial Equality announced it would launch its own inquiry into racism within the police force, off the back of the programme.

Speaking at the Metropolitan Black Police Association’s annual general meeting, CRE chair Trevor Phillips said he had informed the Home Secretary of his plans for a probe.

“As I am empowered to do under the Race Relations Act of 1976, I intend to instigate a formal investigation into the police service across England and Wales.

“I am glad to say that he [the Home Secretary] has agreed to support my decision. I intend to appoint a small panel of experienced and highly qualified commissioners to direct the investigation, and, as I am required to do under the act, I will ask the Home Secretary to approve that panel and to give them the relevant powers of investigation under the act

By Wale Azeez

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network