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-england-london-61909143
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Stephen Port: Met to be re-investigated over serial killer | Stephen Port: Met to be re-investigated over serial killer |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The young men killed by Port: Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor | The young men killed by Port: Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor |
| The way Metropolitan Police initially handled the deaths of four men murdered by serial killer Stephen Port is to be re-investigated by the police watchdog. | |
| Port, 47, is serving a whole-life term for the murders of Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor in Barking, East London. | Port, 47, is serving a whole-life term for the murders of Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor in Barking, East London. |
| The deaths were not seen as suspicious by police until after the fourth death. | The deaths were not seen as suspicious by police until after the fourth death. |
| The families' solicitor said police had "blood on their hands", adding: "It is time for them to be held accountable." | The families' solicitor said police had "blood on their hands", adding: "It is time for them to be held accountable." |
| "Basic failings" in the way the Metropolitan Police handled the four men's deaths were identified at a jury inquest that concluded in December. | "Basic failings" in the way the Metropolitan Police handled the four men's deaths were identified at a jury inquest that concluded in December. |
| The force 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. | The force 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. |
| At the time, the solicitor representing the victims' families said it was their "firmly held belief" that "the Metropolitan Police's actions were, in part, driven by homophobia". | At the time, the solicitor representing the victims' families said it was their "firmly held belief" that "the Metropolitan Police's actions were, in part, driven by homophobia". |
| In 2019 the police watchdog, the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), decided no officers had a case to answer for misconduct or gross misconduct as a result of the failures to catch the serial killer until after the fourth killing. | In 2019 the police watchdog, the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), decided no officers had a case to answer for misconduct or gross misconduct as a result of the failures to catch the serial killer until after the fourth killing. |
| Stephen Port is serving a whole-life prison term for the four murders | Stephen Port is serving a whole-life prison term for the four murders |
| Now, the IOPC has said that since new information heard at the inquest had found "material flaws" in its own inquiry, it had decided to re-open its investigation with a new team in place. | |
| Regional Director Graham Beesley said: "Following analysis of the new information provided at the inquest, we have concluded that the original investigation needed to be wider in scope and, therefore, certain lines of inquiries were not followed," he added. | Regional Director Graham Beesley said: "Following analysis of the new information provided at the inquest, we have concluded that the original investigation needed to be wider in scope and, therefore, certain lines of inquiries were not followed," he added. |
| "Had this information been known at the time it may have led to different decisions on outcomes." | "Had this information been known at the time it may have led to different decisions on outcomes." |
| How Met failings contributed to the deaths of three men | How Met failings contributed to the deaths of three men |
| Port case made assumptions about gay community | Port case made assumptions about gay community |
| The killer the police missed | The killer the police missed |
| Between June 2014 and September 2015, Port killed Anthony Walgate, 23, originally from Hull, Gabriel Kovari, 22, from Lewisham, Daniel Whitworth, 21, from Gravesend, Kent, and Jack Taylor, 25, from Dagenham, east London, 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 Anthony Walgate, 23, originally from Hull, Gabriel Kovari, 22, from Lewisham, Daniel Whitworth, 21, from Gravesend, Kent, and Jack Taylor, 25, from Dagenham, east London, by giving them overdoses of the "date rape" drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) at his east London home. |
| He met the victims online, including through the dating app Grindr, before luring them to his flat where they were drugged and raped. | He met the victims online, including through the dating app Grindr, before luring them to his flat where they were drugged and raped. |
| Port was found guilty of the murders and a string of sex assaults against other men in 2016 and was given a whole-life jail term. | Port was found guilty of the murders and a string of sex assaults against other men in 2016 and was given a whole-life jail term. |
| Following the announcement of the new IOPC inquiry, the families' solicitor Neil Hudgell said relatives had been "left traumatised by their treatment at the hands of the police". | Following the announcement of the new IOPC inquiry, the families' solicitor Neil Hudgell said relatives had been "left traumatised by their treatment at the hands of the police". |
| 'Institutional prejudice' | |
| "The inadequate investigations by the Metropolitan Police into the four deaths is one of the most widespread institutional failures in modern history, exacerbated by a woeful lack of remorse, regret or sympathy displayed at the inquests by some of the officers involved," Mr Hudgell added. | "The inadequate investigations by the Metropolitan Police into the four deaths is one of the most widespread institutional failures in modern history, exacerbated by a woeful lack of remorse, regret or sympathy displayed at the inquests by some of the officers involved," Mr Hudgell added. |
| "Port was jailed for life, but the police have blood on their hands too. It is time for them to be held accountable." | "Port was jailed for life, but the police have blood on their hands too. It is time for them to be held accountable." |
| The partner of Mr Whitworth, Ricky Waumsley, said he welcomed the IOPC's fresh investigation. | |
| Mr Waumsely said he had given evidence at the inquest about "many blatant shortcomings", including that he had not been shown a fake suicide note because police did not consider him to be Mr Whitworth's next of kin. | |
| "The inquest jury found that Daniel's death could have been avoided had the police properly investigated the previous murders. The previous IOPC investigation had significant flaws in it. | |
| "I continue to believe that the Metropolitan Police suffer from institutional prejudice which, frustratingly, they continue to deny." | |
| Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk | Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk |