Met: sorry after documents found in locked cupboard

The Metropolitan Police has apologised to the family of murdered private investigator Daniel Morgan after documents relevant to the inquiry into his death were discovered in a locked cabinet in New Scotland Yard that had not been used for a number of years.

A total of 95 pages of material should have been disclosed to the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel, which was set up to look into the case and published its final report in June 2021, the force said.

A further 71 pages were identified that would have been provided to His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) as part of its subsequent inspection.

Daniel Morgan was killed with an axe in the car park of the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham, south-east London, on March 10 1987, and a string of unsuccessful investigations into his death have been mired with claims of corruption.

An independent panel set up to look into the case published a scathing report in June last year in which it accused the Met of "a form of institutional corruption" for concealing or denying failings over the unsolved murder.

Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gray apologised on behalf of the force to Mr Morgan's family.

"We fully acknowledge how unacceptable and deeply regrettable this situation is," she said.

"We are working to understand what has taken place and any impact. We apologise to the family of Daniel Morgan and to the panel."

The Met said its assessment found there are no evidential documents that relate to criminal investigations into the murder.

However, the Police Inspectorate has agreed to review the documents and the Met's assessment of them.

The Met added that it remains in discussions with the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

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