This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57484219
The article has changed 19 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 5 | Version 6 |
---|---|
Daniel Morgan: Met Police accused of 'form of corruption' in report | Daniel Morgan: Met Police accused of 'form of corruption' in report |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Daniel Morgan's family have been fighting for justice for more than three decades | |
The Met Police was institutionally corrupt in the way it concealed or denied failings over the unsolved murder of Daniel Morgan, a report says. | The Met Police was institutionally corrupt in the way it concealed or denied failings over the unsolved murder of Daniel Morgan, a report says. |
The force's first objective was to protect itself, the head of an independent panel, Baroness Nuala O'Loan, said. | |
Mr Morgan was attacked with an axe in the car park of a pub in south-east London 34 years ago. | |
His family and the general public are owed an apology, the report concluded. | |
'Venal behaviour' | 'Venal behaviour' |
Despite five police inquiries and an inquest, no-one has been brought to justice over the father-of-two's death, with the Metropolitan Police previously admitting corruption had hampered the original murder investigation. | |
Mr Morgan, from Llanfrechfa near Cwmbran in south Wales, died outside the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham on 10 March 1987. | Mr Morgan, from Llanfrechfa near Cwmbran in south Wales, died outside the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham on 10 March 1987. |
Home Secretary Priti Patel: "Daniel Morgan deserved far, far better than this, as did his family" | |
The panel found his family "suffered grievously" as a consequence of the failure to achieve justice for them. | |
It criticised the "unwarranted assurances" they were given, the misinformation put into the public domain, and a failure "to acknowledge professional competence, individuals' venal behaviour, and managerial and organisational failures". | It criticised the "unwarranted assurances" they were given, the misinformation put into the public domain, and a failure "to acknowledge professional competence, individuals' venal behaviour, and managerial and organisational failures". |
"The Metropolitan Police also repeatedly failed to take a fresh, thorough and critical look at past failings," the report said. | "The Metropolitan Police also repeatedly failed to take a fresh, thorough and critical look at past failings," the report said. |
"Concealing or denying failings, for the sake of the organisation's public image, is dishonesty on the part of the organisation for reputational benefit and constitutes a form of institutional corruption." | "Concealing or denying failings, for the sake of the organisation's public image, is dishonesty on the part of the organisation for reputational benefit and constitutes a form of institutional corruption." |
Alistair Morgan believes his brother was on the brink of exposing police corruption when he was killed | Alistair Morgan believes his brother was on the brink of exposing police corruption when he was killed |
In a statement the Metropolitan Police said: "We deeply regret that no-one has been convicted of Daniel's murder. We have not stopped pursuing justice. | |
"We accept corruption was a major factor in the failure of the 1987 investigation. This compounded the pain suffered by Daniel's family and for this we apologise." | |
It added it would respond in more detail later. | |
Key panel findings: | |
From the beginning, there were allegations police officers were involved in the murder, and that corruption by police officers played a part in protecting the murderer(s) from being brought to justice | |
The crime scene was not searched and was left unguarded; alibis were not sought for suspects | |
Serving and retired officers told the panel some officers who tried to report wrongdoing by other officers had been ostracised, transferred to a different unit, encouraged to resign, or faced disciplinary proceedings | |
An investigation into the force by an external force, Hampshire Police, was compromised by the inclusion of a senior Met officer on the team | |
Then-Assistant Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick initially refused to grant access to a police internal data system and the most sensitive information | |
Mr Morgan's brother Alistair said Dame Cressida, now the Met Police commissioner, should "absolutely" be considering her position in light of the report. | |
Mr Morgan's family - who believe he was on the brink of exposing police corruption when he was killed - said in a statement: "We welcome the recognition that we - and the public at large - have been failed over the decades by a culture of corruption and cover-up in the Metropolitan Police, an institutionalised corruption that has permeated successive regimes in the Metropolitan Police and beyond to this day." | Mr Morgan's family - who believe he was on the brink of exposing police corruption when he was killed - said in a statement: "We welcome the recognition that we - and the public at large - have been failed over the decades by a culture of corruption and cover-up in the Metropolitan Police, an institutionalised corruption that has permeated successive regimes in the Metropolitan Police and beyond to this day." |
The family's statement added: "At almost every step, we found ourselves lied to, fobbed off, bullied, degraded and let down, time and time again." | |
Live event: Report deeply alarming, Patel says | Live event: Report deeply alarming, Patel says |
Timeline: Daniel Morgan axe murder | Timeline: Daniel Morgan axe murder |
Report into axe murder delayed by Home Office | |
Home Secretary Priti Patel told the Commons the report was "deeply alarming" and revealed a "litany of mistakes" by the Met Police. | Home Secretary Priti Patel told the Commons the report was "deeply alarming" and revealed a "litany of mistakes" by the Met Police. |
She said the behaviour of the force "irreparably damaged the chances of successful prosecution". | She said the behaviour of the force "irreparably damaged the chances of successful prosecution". |
Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said the report was "damning," adding that the Morgan family had endured a "three-decade nightmare". | |
Panel members Nuala O'Loan, Silvia Casale and Samuel Pollock read out a statement following the publication the report | |
Corruption within the Met Police | Corruption within the Met Police |
Tom Symonds, home affairs correspondent | Tom Symonds, home affairs correspondent |
The early years of the Daniel Morgan saga experienced policing that was "poor or below accepted standards", while there was a "historical phenomenon" of regular drinking sessions in which officers mixed with local figures "operating on the fringes of legality". | The early years of the Daniel Morgan saga experienced policing that was "poor or below accepted standards", while there was a "historical phenomenon" of regular drinking sessions in which officers mixed with local figures "operating on the fringes of legality". |
More serious was evidence that stories were sold by the police to the press; misuse of the police national computer; and the planting of false evidence. | More serious was evidence that stories were sold by the police to the press; misuse of the police national computer; and the planting of false evidence. |
The inquiry also found links between "personnel at the highest levels of the Metropolitan Police and people working for a news organisation linked to criminality associated with the murder of Daniel Morgan". The evidence relates to dealings with the News of the World. | The inquiry also found links between "personnel at the highest levels of the Metropolitan Police and people working for a news organisation linked to criminality associated with the murder of Daniel Morgan". The evidence relates to dealings with the News of the World. |
The panel strongly criticises the Met for impeding its investigation by failing to co-operate with elements of its work. | The panel strongly criticises the Met for impeding its investigation by failing to co-operate with elements of its work. |
The Met has at times accepted failings in the Morgan case, and suggested corruption was to blame, but when asked to explain what this meant, the panel said often little detail was provided. | The Met has at times accepted failings in the Morgan case, and suggested corruption was to blame, but when asked to explain what this meant, the panel said often little detail was provided. |
The force also placed barriers in the way of the inquiry when the panel asked for a computer terminal so that it could access the police Holmes investigation database. | The force also placed barriers in the way of the inquiry when the panel asked for a computer terminal so that it could access the police Holmes investigation database. |
A series of recommendations includes better vetting of police officers and a requirement for police officers to register their membership of any organisation, including the freemasons. | A series of recommendations includes better vetting of police officers and a requirement for police officers to register their membership of any organisation, including the freemasons. |
Continuing his criticism of Dame Cressida, Mr Morgan said: "I think certainly we need much better leadership than she has provided here. | |
"Anyone with any knowledge of the history of the police knows how much they hate scrutiny, and I think she has been true to form in that respect." | |
The Morgan family's solicitor Raju Bhatt said: "You heard from the panel that the institutionalised corruption that they found is a current problem in the present tense. | |
"The current leadership in the Met has to take responsibility for that continuing." | "The current leadership in the Met has to take responsibility for that continuing." |
Key panel recommendations: | |
Police officers to be required to declare membership of organisations like the freemasons when they join the service | |
Protections put in place for police whistle-blowers | |
The force should make sure it has the necessary resources to tackle corrupt behaviour among its officers | |
Police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) should be sufficiently resourced to investigate such matters |