Men accused of Daniel Morgan murder 24 years ago acquitted after case collapsed

Twenty four years after Mr Morgan was found dead with an axe in his head, the case has collapsed following 18 months of legal argument.

CPS changed its mind about case yesterday

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is believed to have concluded that it could not provide any guarantees that all of the documents the defence may want to study had been handed over.

Chief prosecutor for CPS London Alison Saunders said: “Daniel Morgan was brutally killed 24 years ago.

"When we authorised charges against five men in April 2008 in relation to his death, we knew this would be a challenging prosecution because of both the passage of time and the amount of material, more than 750,000 pages, which needed to be considered for disclosure to the defence.

"Material that could assist the defence or undermine the prosecution must be disclosed.

“We were, until yesterday, satisfied that there was sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction.

"However, we must continuously review prosecutions to ensure that it is both fair and appropriate that they continue.

"We no longer believe this prosecution should continue.

“In December 2009, the police revealed a large amount of material to us that had not been considered for disclosure before.

"There was then considerable legal argument on whether it was possible for the case to proceed.

"Officers assured the court that there was no further unconsidered material.

"The judge was considering this matter when, on March 4, the police revealed further material that had not been previously considered.

“We have decided that a prosecution cannot continue in these circumstances.

"We cannot be confident that the defence necessarily have all of the material that they are entitled to.

"This point would be raised by the defence during any trial, so we are no longer satisfied that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction.

"This decision has been taken by the CPS with the advice of senior counsel.

"Daniel Morgan’s family was also consulted before this decision was taken.

"This has been a long and difficult ordeal for the family, and we have offered them our heartfelt sympathies.”

Mr Morgan was found in the car park of the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham Road, Sydenham, on March 10, 1987.

The Met’s Homicide and Serious Crime Command (HSCC) Detective Chief Superintendent Hamish Campbell released the following statement:

"Today the Crown Prosecution Service has decided, after careful consideration, that no evidence will be offered in the forthcoming trial against those accused of Daniel Morgan's murder.

"This was a difficult decision to have reached and we recognise the severe disappointment this will cause and how deeply upsetting it is to Daniel's family and friends.

"Daniel Morgan was murdered 24 years ago; since that time there have been six separate criminal investigations into his murder and numerous other investigations linked to his death.

"Thousands of lines of inquiry have been pursued since 1987 and over three quarters of a million documents have accrued and been examined.

"Within this formidable and complex murder enquiry it is deeply regrettable that it has not proved possible to guarantee to the court that all the relevant material has been presented to ensure a fair trial.

"On behalf of the Metropolitan Police Service I sincerely apologise to Daniel Morgan's family and it is with considerable regret that a trial cannot proceed.

"This current investigation has identified, ever more clearly, how the initial inquiry failed the family and wider public. It is quite apparent that police corruption was a debilitating factor in that investigation.

"This was wholly unacceptable.

"Significant changes have occurred since that time, nevertheless there are important issues which we need to examine now in order to understand what led to today's decision."

Mr Morgan's family call for judicial inquiry

Mr Morgan’s family have called for a judicial inquiry saying: "The criminal justice system is not fit for purpose."

His brother Alistair, aged 62, said: "My family is devastated by this news. We put some flowers on the grave. It's just horrible."

He said he believes there have been a number of police cover-ups over the years and alleges that his brother was murdered because he was about to expose police corruption.

A family spokesman said they "have been left with no option but to call upon the Home Secretary today to order a full judicial inquiry into the handling of the case by the Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service."