Your article on undercover police involved in student politics in the late 1960s rang true (MI5 worked with undercover police to infiltrate Vietnam protests, 2 November). I was arrested after a small demonstration in October 1969 against the University of London’s links with University College, Rhodesia. I was charged with affray along with three other UL students.
At our trial at the Old Bailey in July 1970, under interrogation, two special branch officers who had been on the demonstration admitted that the first time they’d seen me was in Tottenham Court Road police station after my arrest. They also said that there had been four other special branch officers on the demonstration who did not give evidence against me or my co-defendants.
As there were only about 60 students on the demonstration, it meant that 10% of those on the demonstration were police.
After the police evidence against me was so discredited, the case collapsed. The other three were convicted, two of whom were given six-month sentences, one of which was suspended. UL cut its links with UCR the following year.
James Dalglish
Richmond, London
