MI5 accepts it gave evidence based on lies to three courts

A report found ‘serious and systemic failures in MI5's conduct’

The admission by the security service was made at a High Court hearing on Friday (18 September) in London.

Representing MI5, Timothy Otty KC said that the service “accepts without reservation” the findings of an official report into the case.

As per the BBC, it had until now only apologised for giving “incorrect” evidence.

How the lies by MI5 were revealed

It was in February of last year when the lies were revealed, in a BBC investigation into how an MI5 agent, who was a violent neo-Nazi, used his role to abuse his girlfriend.

At the time, MI5 vehemently denied the account.

What will be decided by the judges

The action to take over the false evidence is now being considered by a panel of three senior judges.

They are England and Wales' most senior judge, Lady Chief Justice Baroness Sue Carr, President of the King's Bench Division Dame Victoria Sharp, and Mr Justice Chamberlain.

The three judges will decide whether to begin contempt of court proceedings against certain officers, or against the security service itself, moves which would be unprecedented.

The hearing comes amid a report which was published in July this year, by the then deputy investigatory powers commissioner Sir John Goldring.

The report found “serious and systemic failures in MI5's conduct” throughout the case.
One senior officer, known as Officer 2, lied repeatedly; another, Officer 3, misled his own colleagues and lied about what he was told.

What the security service told the court

The hearing was told by Otty that the security service accepts Sir John's findings in full, including those about the actions of individual officers and the finding of “systemic failure” within the organisation.

After the High Court rejected explanations by the MI5 about what had happened as deficient and unreliable, Sir John's investigation was ordered by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in September 2025.