Metropolitan Police officers investigated for gross misconduct over serial killer Stephen Port

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said eight individuals are being investigated for possible breaches of police professional standards

Five Metropolitan Police officers and three former officers are being investigated for gross misconduct following the force’s failings in the case of serial killer Stephen Port.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said eight individuals are being investigated for possible breaches of police professional standards.

They relate variously to equality and diversity, duties and responsibilities, authority respect and courtesy and honesty and integrity.

Inquest jurors found that “fundamental failures” by the police were likely to have contributed to the deaths of three of the men.

Stephen Port's victims Daniel Whitworth, Jack Taylor, Anthony Walgate, and Gabriel Kovari Credit: PA

Basic errors by a string of detectives left Port free to carry out the series of murders as well as drug and sexually assault more than a dozen other men.

IOPC regional director Steve Noonan said: “We recognise it has taken some time to reach this stage, but these are complex matters, involving multiple officers and four investigations into unexplained deaths and then the subsequent murder investigation into Port.

“Though we have found an indication that the behaviour of these eight individuals may have amounted to gross misconduct, this does not necessarily mean disciplinary proceedings will automatically follow.

“Based on the evidence, at the conclusion of our investigation we will decide whether any officers should face disciplinary proceedings.”

Who is Stephen Port?

Stephen Port was found guilty of the murders of Jack Taylor, Daniel Whitworth, Gabriel Kovari and Anthony Walgate between June 2014 and September 2015.

Port drugged them with overdoses of GHB and dumped their bodies near his flat in Barking, east London.

He was convicted of a total of 22 offences against 11 men, including the four murders, four rapes, 10 counts of administering a substance, and four sex assaults in November 2016. He was cleared on three counts of rape.

The IOPC began reinvestigating the case last year after saying the original inquiry into the conduct of officers was “materially flawed”.

An inquest jury found that officers in Barking missed repeated opportunities to catch Port after he plied his first victim, Mr Walgate, with a fatal dose of the date-rape drug GHB and dumped his body.

The families of Stephen Port’s victims at Barking Town Hall in east London, after the inquest Credit: PA

Families of three of Port’s victims received payouts from the Met after settling civil claims.

Speaking on behalf of the families of the four men, solicitor Neil Hudgell said they were “cautiously encouraged” by the reopening of the investigation and the development was testament to their “determination and perseverance”.

Port struck three more times before he was caught, killing each victim in near-identical circumstances, with police failing to link him to the deaths despite detective work carried out by the victims’ family and friends that would lead to the culprit.

Officers had denied accusations of prejudice and homophobia, blaming mistakes on being understaffed and lacking resources.