‘Trust in policing has eroded’: Met admit corruption and pay damages to Daniel Morgan family
The fight for justice by the family of Daniel Morgan, the private investigator murdered in a pub car park with an axe 36 years ago, has ended with the Met admitting corruption and paying damages.
Mr Morgan was found dead in March 1987 in a Sydenham pub car park. His family believe he was about to expose police corruption when he was killed.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “From the earliest stages, Mr Morgan’s family have been repeatedly and inexcusably let down by the Metropolitan Police.
“This case has been marred by a cycle of corruption, professional incompetence, and defensiveness that has repeated itself over and over again.”
The Met revealed in May that they had “discovered” documents connected to the unsolved murder case in a locked cabinet in New Scotland Yard in January.
The Met confirmed some of the newly discovered material should have been used in the review.
In a formal apology to the family, Sir Rowley said: “I unequivocally and unreservedly apologise for the failure of the Metropolitan Police Service to bring those responsible for the murder of Daniel Morgan to justice.
“Mr Morgan’s family were given empty promises and false hope as successive investigations failed and the Metropolitan Police prioritised its reputation at the expense of transparency and effectiveness.
“No words can do justice to the pain and suffering that has been a feature of the family’s lives for more than three decades as they have fought for justice, a fight which no family should have to endure.
“Their tenacious campaigning has exposed multiple and systemic failings in this organisation.
“They have explained how their trust in policing has been eroded.”
The Morgan family issued a statement on Wednesday morning, announcing their acceptance of a financial settlement made by the Met after it faced being sued in court.
An independent review in 2021, which itself took eight years to conclude, found the way the Met had handled the 1987 murder case and the investigation in the decades after was corrupt and incompetent.
Allegations of police involvement in the murder and a cover up, as well as connections between private investigators, police officers and journalists at the now defunct News of the World were exposed in the review.
The family’s claim alleged wrongdoing immediately after the killing, when one suspect turned out to be a detective who worked for a short period on the murder investigation, with police failings continuing through to recent years.
Mr Morgan’s family said: “As a result of a formal mediation process in July 2023, the parties were able to agree a mutually satisfactory settlement of the proposed claims, including an admission of liability on behalf of the Commissioner in respect of the conduct of his officers in response to the murder.”
Neither side would confirm or deny media reports that claim the Met will pay out a total of £2million in damages and legal costs.
The family said: “At the request of the family of Daniel Morgan, all other terms of the settlement are confidential to the parties.
“Accordingly, the parties will not be making any further comments to the media about the terms of settlement or the mediation.”
Pictured top: Daniel Morgan (Picture: PA)
