Family of PI seek justice over murder (From Free Press Series)

Family of PI seek justice over murder

A MURDERED Cwmbran man's family met the chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority on Friday to discuss "failures" in the investigation into his death.

Daniel Morgan, a private investigator, was found in a south London car park with an axe in his head in 1987.

His body was found near the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham.

The family - his mother, Isobel and sister, Jane, of Hay-on-Wye, Powys - all believe Mr Morgan was killed by a professional hitman after uncovering evidence of police corruption.

On Friday his mother and brother pressed the Met Authority chairman Len Duvall to answer questions concerning the progress of the latest report on the murder.

The Authority unanimously ordered Commissioner Ian Blair to produce a report on the failure of four police inquiries to resolve allegations of police involvement in the murder.

At that meeting in October last year Sir Ian informed the authority that the first inquiry into the murder had been "compromised."

Though the allegation that Daniel Morgan had uncovered corruption was never substantiated by the former Police Complaints Authority and a series of investigations failed to lead to any prosecutions.

After receiving Sir Ian's report at the end of January, Len Duvall told the family that he had sent the report back to the Commissioner for further clarification.

The family was told to expect the report by the end of March 2006 at the latest.

Len Duvall has renewed his commitment to appointing an independent QC to review the case papers. As a result of the MPA's ruling about that report, it is now possible that a barrister will now be appointed "to independently review all the case papers in relation to the murder and all subsequent investigations."

"Of course we're disappointed at the delay," said Daniel's brother, Alastair Morgan. "But we held a lengthy discussion with Len.

"We're reassured that he's exercising sound judgement in this situation."