The way Metropolitan Police initially handled the deaths of four men murdered by serial killer Stephen Port is to be reinvestigated 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.
The deaths were not seen as suspicious by police until after the fourth death.
A solicitor representing the families said they believed the police's actions were "driven by homophobia".
He added the Met Police had "blood on their hands", and said: "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.
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. Officers also made assumptions about the gay community, jurors were told.
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
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. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Personally knowing one of the families involved i can tell you they are constantly seeking more answers and asking how officers who were part of the original failed investigations, are still in the job...some even being promoted |
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