When asked about the perception that, when things did go wrong, police officers tended to react by wanting to cover up the truth, Sir Hugh said that culture had "changed hugely".

BBC: UK police service 'transparent', says Sir Hugh Orde

But as the layers of official fabrication were peeled away to reveal the bitter truth, the Russian Navy dreamt up another theory to cover its embarrassment: the Kursk had been struck by a foreign vessel.

BBC: Analysis: Kursk cover-up

Regardless of how well the truth is known around the world nobody will be able to cover it up, nor anyone can deny it.

BBC: Milosevic defence transcript