Mayor's statement on HMICFRS inspection into the deaths of the victims of Stephen Port

Mayor's statement on HMICFRS inspection report

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I commissioned this independent report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate due to my concerns around errors in the police investigation that meant that Stephen Port was not stopped when he should have been. We owe it to Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth, Jack Taylor and their loved ones to do everything possible to ensure this can never happen again.  

“We must confront the institutional homophobia Baroness Casey’s Review found in the Met and the operational failures in the force which today’s report have laid bare. Every Londoner – irrespective of sexuality, gender or race – has the right to have their allegations of crime taken seriously by police and the Met must ensure the quality of their initial investigations is of a higher standard. Never again should the integrity of a case be compromised by the victim’s circumstances or background. This is absolutely vital to rebuilding the confidence of London’s LGBTQI+ community in our police. 

"Sir Mark and the new team at the top of the Met have assured me that they are committed to reform and getting the basics right. As Mayor, I will continue to support and hold the Met to account to in delivering a police service that is trusted, representative and delivers the highest possible service to every community in our city as we work to build a safer London for everyone.”