In the ‘systemic failings’ of the Daniel Morgan murder case, the Metropolitan Police’s first objective was to protect itself, is among the findings of a damning Independent Panel, which accused the Met of ‘a form of institutional corruption’.
As Baroness Nuala O’Loan, chair of the panel, said in a separate statement, the unsolved murder of Daniel Morgan on March 10, 1987 is a crime that has dogged the Metropolitan Police and the wider Criminal Justice System. The panel addressed three main issues:
1. whether there was evidence of police involvement in Daniel Morgan’s murder;
2. the role played by police corruption in protecting those responsible for the murder from being brought to justice and the failure to confront that corruption; and
3. the incidence of connections between private investigators, police officers and journalists at the News of the World and other parts of the media, and alleged corruption involved in the linkages.
Despite four major police investigations, an Inquest and several other operations, no one has ever been convicted of the murder, the statement noted. “From the moment of his murder, there were serious failures of investigation – both at the scene which was never searched, and during the first investigation. In many respects that investigation was not compliant with the policies and procedures in force at the time.”
As for corruption, the Panel said it found no evidence [emphasised by the Panel] that Masonic channels were used corruptly. But the Panel recommends that police officers and staff should be obliged to register, in confidence, Freemasonry membership. The Panel said membership was ‘not conducive to a culture of integrity’.
The Panel pointed to the suffering of the deceased’s family, such as the misinformation given by police, and ‘failing to acknowledge professional incompetence, individuals’ venal behaviour, and managerial and organisational failures’.
The Panel, which began work in 2013, complained of a relative lack of co-operation from the Metropolitan Police which ‘delayed our work very significantly’, added to costs (the Panel cost around £16m) and caused ‘unnecessary distress to the family of Daniel Morgan’. Last but not least the Panel said it was ‘disappointed’ by a ‘last minute delay’ by the Home Secretary Priti Patel, who wanted to check the final report ‘on Human Rights, or on National Security grounds’. The Panel did ‘not believe the Home Secretary’s approach was justified’.
For the 1200-page, three-volume report visit https://www.danielmorganpanel.independent.gov.uk/the-report/.
Met response
Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave, who leads the Met’s response to the Panel, said: “To this day, those responsible for Daniel’s murder have not been brought to justice. I apologise for this. As a former senior investigating officer on homicide, this is personally and professionally a matter of deep regret for me.
“I’m angered and saddened not just as a police officer, but as a member of society, that the actions of individuals undermined the original investigation.
“Since Daniel’s murder, we’ve completely overhauled our ability to identify corruption and ensure every officer and member of staff understands their responsibility to stand up for our fundamental values of professionalism, integrity, compassion and courage.
“But that does not mean we are complacent. The threat of corruption is constantly evolving. I am confident we have never been better at finding corruption and getting rid of it.”
For the Met’s response in full visit the Met Police website.
