Seventeen police officers to be questioned as Stephen Port investigation moves into interview phase.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission’s (IPCC) independent investigation is progressing into the response of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to the deaths of Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth, and Jack Taylor, who were murdered following blunders in the early part of their investigations by officers who failed to link the deaths together.
Stephen Port was convicted of four counts of murder plus a number of other offences in November 2016, and was sentenced to life in prison. He had administered fatal doses of the date rape drug GBH to his victims who he met on gay dating websites and then dumped their bodies very close to his home in East London.
IPCC Commissioner Cindy Butts, says: “Over the coming weeks our investigators will be undertaking interviews with the 17 officers who have been served with notices as part of the investigation. These interviews are an important milestone in the investigation as we continue to build the picture of the police response to the deaths. Misconduct notices are not judgemental in any way.
“We are grateful for the information provided to us by the family and friends of Anthony, Daniel, Gabriel, and Jack, as well as members the LGBT community and the wider public, and MPS officers. In an investigation of this magnitude, centred upon the tragic murders of four dearly missed young men, every piece of information counts and we continue to wish to hear from anyone who can assist this important work.
“My thoughts remain with everyone affected by Port’s horrific crimes, and they can be assured that we are committed to providing them with thorough conclusions as soon as we are able.”
As part of the investigation IPCC investigators have so far collected and carefully analysed over 700 individual documents and around 200 statements.
Following the interview process, which will take a number of weeks, investigators will be in a position to complete the analysis of the evidence at hand, and begin preparing the IPCC’s final report.
Anyone with information should contact the IPCC on 0800 151 0021 or email: barking&dagenham@ipcc.gsi.gov.uk
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