The Metropolitan Police have agreed a settlement with the family of Daniel Morgan – the investigator killed with an axe in a pub car park in 1987 – and apologised over its botched investigation.

The settlement includes an admission of liability over officers’ response to the murder.

Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley apologised “unequivocally and unreservedly” for failing to bring the killers to justice and said the family had been “repeatedly and inexcusably let down”.

Mr Morgan was a partner in Southern Investigations and it was rumoured he was about to expose corruption at Scotland Yard when he was found with an axe in his head at the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham.

His family have endured four failed murder investigations, several smaller queries and two failed prosecutions.

Sir Mark said: “This case has been marred by a cycle of corruption, professional incompetence, and defensiveness that has repeated itself over and over again.

“Daniel Morgan’s family were given empty promises and false hope as successive investigations failed and the Metropolitan Police prioritised its reputation at the expense of transparency and effectiveness.”

Met Police sorry after lost documents about axe murder of private detective Daniel Morgan found in ‘old cabinet’

Metropolitan Police’s approach to tackling police corruption not fit for purpose, watchdog finds

Daniel Morgan: Met Police chief apologises for failings in murdered private detective investigation

His statement said “no words can do justice” to the family’s suffering and their campaigning had shown “multiple and systemic failings” in the Met.

The family had threatened to sue the commissioner over the case but the two sides went through formal mediation this month.

Related posts:

Engineering work to hit rail services on first weekend after stay-at-home restrictions lifted Meghan complained about Piers Morgan before he quit TV show England’s ‘normal lads’ have dreamed of lifting Euro 2020 trophy, says captain Harry Kane Going to sleep between 10pm and 11pm linked with lower risk of heart disease, study finds Labour MP has whip suspended over allegations he made racist comments in Commons bar ‘Leave now’: Police chief’s email to officers to stamp out criminal and bad behaviour in scandal-hit Met revealed Anoosheh Ashoori’s family describe ‘surreal’ feeling after his release from Iran One-year-old baby boy dies after falling from window of flat Water companies across the UK ‘strongly urged’ to enforce hosepipe bans as another heatwave looms Majority of drivers say aggressive cyclists threaten their safety Prince Harry’s sudden High Court arrival shows how keen he is for media battle to make headlines Child in ‘critical condition’ after car hits pedestrians outside hospital