Timeline: Daniel Morgan axe murder

Daniel Morgan was found with an axe embedded in his head in a pub car park on 10 March 1987

A report into the failure of police to find the killers of private investigator Daniel Morgan, killed by an axe to the head 34 years ago, accused the Metropolitan Police of a form of institutional corruption over the case.

Mr Morgan was found dead in a pub car park in London in 1987. He was said to have been investigating allegations of police corruption.

Here are the key dates in the case.

10 March 1987

Daniel Morgan's body, with an axe embedded in his head, is found in the car park of the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham.

3 April 1987

Six men are arrested over the murder but police find there was not enough evidence to charge any of them.

April 1988

An inquest at Southwark Coroner's Court gives a verdict of unlawful killing.

Papers are again submitted to the CPS but no charges brought.

24 June 1988

The Met refers the case to the Police Complaints Authority (now the Independent Police Complaints Commission) after allegations against the police by Mr Morgan's family.

The review by Hampshire Constabulary looks at "allegations that police were involved in the murder of Daniel Morgan".

31 January 1989

Three people are arrested by the force conducting the investigation.

Two of them are charged with murder and one for perverting the course of justice.

11 May 1989

The Director of Public Prosecutions discontinues proceedings.

9 June 1989

The IPCC inquiry concludes without any evidence produced to support any allegation of criminal misconduct by Met officers.

Jan 1999

A covert investigation, Operation Two Bridges, finds information relevant to the case.

Following the investigation, charges are brought in connection with an unrelated matter.

October 2001

A review by the Met's Murder Review Group finds new investigative opportunities and recommends the case should be re-investigated.

June 2002

The Met launches a new covert investigation, Operation Abelard.

Police appeal for witnesses and information on the case in Crimewatch.

October 2002 to January 2003

Eight people are arrested during this period but all are released on bail.

March 2003

The Met submits evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for consideration.

September 2003

The CPS says there is insufficient evidence for a prosecution and all people previously bailed are released.

The case is referred to the Met's Murder Review Group which concludes all lines of inquiry are exhausted.

March 2006

Another investigation, Operation Abelard Two, begins.

August 2006

Two men are arrested and bailed.

September 2006

A third man is arrested and bailed.

April 2008

James Cook and brothers Glenn and Garry Vian are charged with murder.

Two other men are arrested, of which William John Rees is charged with murder, and the second with perverting the course of justice. The case against the second man was later discharged.

A serving Pc in Southwark is arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office and bailed.

September 2008

The Pc's bail is cancelled and no further action taken against him. His arrest was not in connection with Mr Morgan's murder but in connection with the five other arrests.

He is suspended and due to face a misconduct hearing, but resigns before that.

December 2008

A seventh man is arrested on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice. He remains on bail.

June 2009

A woman is arrested and bailed on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.

November 2009

The woman is released with no further action taken.

March 2010

William John Rees, James Cook, Glenn Vian and Garry Vian are granted conditional bail pending a trial in November 2010.

The judge imposes reporting restrictions on the case.

Mid-2010

James Cook is discharged.

March 2011

William John Rees and Glenn and Garry Vian are formally acquitted.

May 2012

The police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are blamed in a report for the collapse of the trial.

The report, carried out by both the Metropolitan Police and CPS, said three boxes of potential evidence were not disclosed to the defence and that several "supergrass" witnesses were not properly handled.

May 2013

Home Secretary Theresa May announces that an independent panel will be set up to examine the case.

July 2019

Rees and the Vian brothers are all awarded six-figure sums in damages after successfully suing the Metropolitan Police for malicious prosecution. A High Court judge rules that Rees and Glenn Vian should each receive £155,000, and Garry Vian should get £104,000.

May 2021

The panel is due to publish its report, but suffers delays due to the Home Office initially claiming no parliamentary time can be found to make publication possible, and then insisting it wishes to review the document and make redactions as it sees necessary.

June 2021

The panel's report is published, concluding that the Metropolitan Police was institutionally corrupt in the way it concealed or denied its failings in investigating the murder. Commissioner Cressida Dick apologised to the family, but they said she should consider her position.