David Barr: Did you discuss with Mike Chitty, before you deployed, what you should expect deploying into the animal rights field?
Bob Lambert: Yes, I would have had discussions with Mike Chitty.
DB: And what did he tell you, to prepare you to deploy into the animal rights field?
BL: I can’t recall today what he told me, um… I can’t, um, say what topics were covered with him.
DB: Did he say anything about a woman whom we are calling ‘Lizzie’?
BL: I’m, um, pretty sure that he didn’t.
DB: When you say you are pretty sure he that didn’t, did he say anything at all about any sexual relationship with any woman?
BL: Not whilst I was in that back office role, to the best of my recollection.
DB: Did there come a time later on when he did?
BL: Uh, they, yes, there was a time later on.
DB: When was that?
BL: I can’t, uh, I can’t put a date on it.
DB: But can you, if you can’t put a precise date on it, can you help us, which year it was?
BL: No, I can’t, um…
DB: Was it, was it within your time as an undercover police officer within the SDS, within your time as a manager, or in between the two?
BL: I can’t recall. No.
DB: What did he tell you?
BL: Well, I learnt from him that he had had a sexual relationship and, certainly by the time I was employed in a management role, um, that became an issue that I, I, I dealt with, so, I had a very clear understanding of it then.
DB: Is there anything about the circumstances in which he made that disclosure to you that helps you to locate it in time at all?
BL: A first disclosure, err, no.
DB: Was that sort of disclosure then not something that would stick in your mind?
BL: Um, I think not.
DB: Did Mr Chitty say anything about sexual relationships in general, or the risk of them when you were talking to him?
BL: When I was talking to him prior to my deployment, or during my deployment, not?
DB: Shall we start with prior to?
BL: Prior to? Not that I can recall, I think not.
DB: During?
BL: Not that I can recall.
DB: Might he have done?
BL: It’s possible, but I honestly cannot recall.
DB: In terms of the issues you came across- the other officers, and the managers dealing with - before you deployed - no names at the moment, please - did you come across any who were having to appear in court?
BL: Um… Could you… Uh… Could you just help me again, uh, with the time?
DB: Between joining the SDS in the Autumn of 1983, deploying in June 1984, as a, as a… As the officer waiting to deploy did you come across any instances of officers, undercover officers having to appear in court?
BL: I may have done, ah, but I can’t recall now.
DB: Can you recall what the managerial attitude was to officers appearing in court in their undercover identities?
BL: Yes, generally, what I learnt, ah, whether it was back office or whether it was during deployment, but, ah, I learnt that it was to be avoided if at all possible, but that depending on the, depending on the offer, the officer’s target group, it would be, uh, it would be, uh, a likelihood, and if it did arise, uh, that management, um would support the officer involved.
