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Stephen Port: Met Police failings led to more deaths Stephen Port: Met Police failings led to more deaths
(32 minutes later)
Stephen Port's victims (L-R): Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor Stephen Port's victims (L-R): Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Jack Taylor and Daniel Whitworth
Failings by the Met Police contributed to the deaths of serial killer Stephen Port's final three victims, an inquest jury has ruled.Failings by the Met Police contributed to the deaths of serial killer Stephen Port's final three victims, an inquest jury has ruled.
Port, 46, is serving a whole-life term for murdering Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor in Barking over 16 months.Port, 46, is serving a whole-life term for murdering Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor in Barking over 16 months.
The four deaths were not treated as suspicious until weeks after the final murder. The deaths were not regarded suspicious until weeks after the fourth murder.
Each victim died from a GHB overdose between June 2014 and September 2015. Each victim died from an overdose of the "date rape" drug GHB between June 2014 and September 2015.
Port administered the "date rape" drug to all four men, aged in their early 20s, at his east London home. How Met failings contributed to the deaths of three men
Port administered gamma-hydroxybutyrate to all four men, aged in their early 20s, at his east London home.
Port was jailed for life in 2016
Coroner Sarah Munro QC said: "These inquests have, on any view, raised a number of serious concerns."
She added she would be preparing a prevention of future deaths report.
The inquests have heard about a long series of failures in the four investigations.The inquests have heard about a long series of failures in the four investigations.
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Stephen Port: Sisters of last victim blame police for death
Barking Town Hall was told police had ignored multiple chances to uncover that Port had been responsible for the first murder - Anthony Walgate, 23, in June 2014 - with the result being that the later deaths were preventable.
The jury found that a murder team should have taken over that first inquiry.
Families pay tribute to young men murdered by Port
Port case made assumptions about gay community
The killer the police missed
Speaking about the inquiries made by officers in Barking and Dagenham into the deaths of Gabriel Kovari, 22, and Daniel Whitworth, 21, the jury said there were "fundamental failings in these investigations from the beginning".
This meant Port was free to kill Jack Taylor, 25, a year later.
The jury also ruled that failings were by both officers in Barking and in the Met's homicide command.