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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Stephen Port: Met Police failings led to more deaths | Stephen Port: Met Police failings led to more deaths |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| Stephen Port's victims (L-R): Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Jack Taylor and Daniel Whitworth | 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 deaths were not regarded suspicious until weeks after the fourth murder. | The deaths were not regarded suspicious until weeks after the fourth murder. |
| The case was branded "one of the most widespread institutional failings in modern history" by the men's families. | The case was branded "one of the most widespread institutional failings in modern history" by the men's families. |
| Neil Hudgell, a solicitor representing the victims, added: "Our firmly held belief is that the Metropolitan Police's actions were, in part, driven by homophobia." | Neil Hudgell, a solicitor representing the victims, added: "Our firmly held belief is that the Metropolitan Police's actions were, in part, driven by homophobia." |
| How Met failings contributed to the deaths of three men | How Met failings contributed to the deaths of three men |
| The Met failed to carry out basic checks, send evidence to be forensically examined, and exercise professional curiosity while Port was embarking on his killing spree, the inquest heard. | |
| Port killed the four men, who were all aged in their early 20s, by giving them overdoses of the "date rape" drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) at his east London home between June 2014 and September 2015. | Port killed the four men, who were all aged in their early 20s, by giving them overdoses of the "date rape" drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) at his east London home between June 2014 and September 2015. |
| Port is serving a whole-life term for the four murders | Port is serving a whole-life term for the four murders |
| He was jailed for life at the Old Bailey in 2016 for the murders and a string of sex assaults. | |
| Coroner Sarah Munro QC said: "These inquests have, on any view, raised a number of serious concerns." | 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. | She added she would be preparing a prevention of future deaths report. |
| This video can not be played | This video can not be played |
| To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. | To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. |
| The sisters of Port's final victim blame police for his death | The sisters of Port's final victim blame police for his death |
| The inquest at 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 the later deaths were preventable. | The inquest at 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 the later deaths were preventable. |
| The jury found a murder team should have taken over that first inquiry. | The jury found a murder team should have taken over that first inquiry. |
| Families pay tribute to young men murdered by Port | Families pay tribute to young men murdered by Port |
| Port case made assumptions about gay community | Port case made assumptions about gay community |
| The killer the police missed | The killer the police missed |
| Referring to 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". | Referring to 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. | This meant Port was free to kill Jack Taylor, 25, a year later. |
| The bodies of Gabriel Kovari and Daniel Whitworth were found in the graveyard of St Margaret's Church | The bodies of Gabriel Kovari and Daniel Whitworth were found in the graveyard of St Margaret's Church |
| The inquest also ruled the failings were by both officers in Barking and in the Met's homicide command. | The inquest also ruled the failings were by both officers in Barking and in the Met's homicide command. |
| In written conclusions, the jury acknowledged officers had faced a "heavy workload", but said there were failures which "cannot be overlooked". | In written conclusions, the jury acknowledged officers had faced a "heavy workload", but said there were failures which "cannot be overlooked". |
| Over weeks of hearings, police admitted a series of "terrible mistakes" were made. | Over weeks of hearings, police admitted a series of "terrible mistakes" were made. |
| Judge Sarah Munro QC ruled out homophobia as an issue for the jury to consider | Judge Sarah Munro QC ruled out homophobia as an issue for the jury to consider |
| Mr Hudgell told a press conference: "We are incensed by the police's successful attempts to prevent the jury from examining whether [homophobic] prejudice played any part in the police's action." | Mr Hudgell told a press conference: "We are incensed by the police's successful attempts to prevent the jury from examining whether [homophobic] prejudice played any part in the police's action." |
| He added that "had the police done their job properly in the first place, Gabriel, Daniel and Jack would not have been killed and other young men would not have been drugged and raped by him". | He added that "had the police done their job properly in the first place, Gabriel, Daniel and Jack would not have been killed and other young men would not have been drugged and raped by him". |
| Met Police Assistant Commissioner Helen Ball described the jury's conclusion as "a devastating finding". | |
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| Asst Commissioner Helen Ball says the inquest jury findings are "devastating" | |
| She said: "Our thoughts are with everybody who loved these young men. | She said: "Our thoughts are with everybody who loved these young men. |
| "We are so sorry for their loss and we're also deeply sorry that there were failings in the police investigations and response to their murders. | "We are so sorry for their loss and we're also deeply sorry that there were failings in the police investigations and response to their murders. |
| "I give my own and the Met's heartfelt apologies." | "I give my own and the Met's heartfelt apologies." |
| Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said some police officers "have got to face serious disciplinary action". | |
| "Every single gay person who raised concerns about the young gay men was ignored, dismissed and treated with contempt, even the partner of one of the victims," he said. |