A FORMER undercover police officer turned whistleblower has become “an inconvenient truth” facing “criticism from every corner,” the spycops public inquiry heard today.

The latest stage of the inquiry, which began in 2015, opened on Monday with three days of statements.

Speaking on Peter Francis’s behalf, Maya Sikand KC said that had he known there would be a decade-long wait to give evidence, the former officer would never have called for the inquiry.

He confirmed what campaigners knew, that undercover officers in the Met’s Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) had sexual relationships with women who did not know their true identities and used the names of dead children without the families’ permission.

Mr Francis also claimed that he had been tasked with gathering information to smear the family of murdered Stephen Lawrence, which the Met denies.

Ms Sikand said: “Mr Francis cannot apologise for telling the truth. He cannot apologise on behalf of the SDS, that is not in his gift.

“But he can and will apologise for the hurt and pain he has caused to those he spied upon and is willing to take full personal responsibility, despite the fact he was doing his job, and doing it as directed.

“He believes that the public has the right to know what is done on their behalf, of the true inner workings of the SDS during its lifetime, however unpalatable this may be and however sharply this may rebound on him.”

Several police officers have been granted anonymity, but “Peter Francis firmly believes that only when you come into the cold light of day, unmasked, can you be truly accountable,” she said.

The inquiry also heard from lawyers representing families whose deceased relatives’ identities were used by the SDS, and representing women deceived into sexual relations by undercover officers.

The Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (Cops) posted on X: “The spycops made up all kinds of stories to entrap and manipulate the women they targeted.

“These include women whose entire lives have been shaped and seriously damaged by decisions influenced by the spycops.

“As this Inquiry goes on, we hear yet more of these stories, some with disturbing new twists and features.”

One woman, identified only as Sara, is due to appear in the inquiry on Friday.