The high court has ordered a “robust and independent” investigation into how MI5 gave false evidence to multiple courts after rejecting two official inquiries provided by the security service as seriously “deficient”. Lady Chief Justice Baroness Sue Carr tells the court of the actions MI5 has taken, including an internal and external investigation.

Senior judges held out the prospect of holding MI5 officers in contempt as they ordered an independent investigation into how the UK security service misled the courts about an agent accused of abusing women.