A four-year legal battle has ended in the UK, with Metropolitan Police settling on a undisclosed sum of money to seven women who had relationships with undercover officers.
The officers were part of two units investigating radical political campaign groups operating in the areas of environmental issues and animal rights.
UK media is reporting the financial compensation awarded to the group of women to be an estimated $A6.3 million.
One of the relationships lasted nine years and resulted in the birth of a child.
That case was settled separately last year for more than $A840,000.
The woman, known only as "Jacqui", said she has been receiving psychiatric treatment since finding out about the undercover operation.
The man had left Jacqui after the child reached the age of two, returning to his official wife and their kids.
Another relationship was carried out for five years while the officer was married to someone else and had children by that marriage.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said the behaviour was "abusive, deceitful, manipulative and wrong".
"I acknowledge that these relationships were a violation of the women's human rights, an abuse of police power and caused significant trauma," he said.
"I unreservedly apologise on behalf of the Metropolitan Police Service. I am aware that money alone cannot compensate the loss of time, their hurt or the feelings of abuse caused by these relationships."
He said the police force would be cracking down on such behaviour, with any future officer open to prosecution if the action happened again.
The women affected by the undercover operation said the number of cases indicated a "pattern of abusive, discriminatory behaviour towards women which amounts to institutional sexism by the Metropolitan Police".
In a statement, they welcomed the apology and financial compensation awarded.
"Although no amount of 'sorry', or financial compensation, can make up for what we and others have endured, we are pleased the police have been forced to acknowledge the abusive nature of these relationships and that they should never happen," the statement read.
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