Barrister leading Stephen Lawrence inquiry makes new disclosures on 'smear' claims Mark Ellison QC, a leading lawyer who is conducting an inquiry into allegations of corruption in the original Lawrence investigation, said he had been alerted to evidence even before the claims became public last month. The material had arisen from a parallel inquiry into the use of undercover policing in Britain over the last 40 years, codenamed Operation Herne, which is being run by Mick Creedon, the chief constable of Derbyshire. "They initiated contact with me in relation to Operation Herne disclosing there was some material of potential relevance to what I was looking into," said Mr Ellison. They expect to present us with the results of their review of the Lawrence issues in September. I will be questioning it and making my own suggestions. Doreen Lawrence, Stephen's mother, told the committee she wanted a public inquiry into allegations of a smear campaign, which she believes may have been motivated by her family's "outspoken" campaign for justice.