THE mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence has reacted with fury as a senior police officer facing claims of "discreditable conduct" linked to the case will be reinstated to full duties.
Scotland Yard has confirmed Commander Richard Walton, who was removed from operational duties in March, will resume his role on December 1, even though he is still facing an inquiry by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
The watchdog is looking at allegations of "discreditable conduct and breaches of honesty and integrity" against him over claims he met with an undercover officer who had information about the Lawrences in the late 1990s.
Imran Khan, lawyer for Stephen's mother Doreen, said: "She is appalled by the decision to put him back on operational duties even before the investigation is complete."
Mr Walton was temporarily moved from his job leading the counter-terrorism command in March, following the publication of a damning report by barrister Mark Ellison QC into the original Lawrence murder investigation.
Mr Ellison revealed an undercover officer - known as N81 - held a meeting in 1998 with Mr Walton, who was then an acting detective inspector working on Scotland Yard's Lawrence review team.
It was responsible for making submissions to the Macpherson Inquiry, the probe into the failures in how the 18-year-old's racist murder was investigated.
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