MI5 gave evidence based on lies to three courts while defending a violent neo-Nazi informant, a damning report by the investigatory powers commissioner has found, revealing serious and systemic failures in the security service's conduct.
The report details how senior MI5 officers repeatedly gave false accounts to judges and the watchdog itself regarding Agent X, a foreign neo-Nazi who used his intelligence role to abuse his British partner, known as Beth. One officer misled colleagues and did not act in good faith, while another overstated matters internally, ensuring MI5's reliance on a fabricated version of events persisted through multiple legal proceedings. The service initially told courts it could neither confirm nor deny its relationship with Agent X even after confirming it to a journalist.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced urgent action to hold MI5 to account. Director General Sir Ken McCallum apologised, saying the service fell well short of public expectations. MI5 paid compensation to Beth earlier this year after settling her legal claim.