Stephen Port: Killer's first victim 'dead for a day before being found'

Stephen Port was sentenced to a full-life term in November 2016

Serial killer Stephen Port's first victim may have lain dead for more than a day before his prone body was discovered, an inquest has heard.

Anthony Walgate, 23, was found propped up against a wall outside Port's block of flats on Cooke Street, Barking, east London, on 19 June 2014.

Pathologist Dr Olaf Biedrzycki confirmed Mr Walgate, who worked as an escort, died after being poisoned with excessive quantities of the drug GHB.

He ruled out death by natural causes.

Andrew O'Connor QC, counsel to the coroner, said: "The evidence will be that Anthony was alive on Tuesday 17 June and was in touch with some friends and went to Barking that evening.

"We know he met Stephen Port; his body was found in the morning of Thursday 19 June."

Dr Biedrzycki said bruising found on Mr Walgate's body was consistent with him being moved while still alive - even if unconscious or near death.

Anthony Walgate's mother said her son was a "cygnet becoming the swan" after he moved to London

"I don't think he was dead when those bruises occurred," Dr Biedrzycki told the inquest hearing at Barking Town Hall.

"But if he was quite unwell with low pulse, low blood pressure, if he was in the process of dying, it's possible they would have formed."

• Detective believed first Port victim was murdered

• Port victims' inquests 'key step' for families

The inquest previously heard that a paramedic and police officers all thought Mr Walgate's death was suspicious, but were later contradicted by a forensic medical examiner.

The alarm was first raised by Port himself, who initially said he had discovered Mr Walgate making a "gurgling" sound.

In his 999 call, Port claimed not to know what happened to Mr Walgate but later told police they met for a sexual encounter, inquest jurors heard.

He also admitted he had picked him up, dragged him away and propped him up against the wall.

Port was later convicted of lying to police about the circumstances of Mr Walgate's death.

Jurors previously heard Mr Walgate was in Barking to meet Port after the serial killer agreed to pay £800 for the escort's services.

Stephen Port's victims (L-R): Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylor

Port's flatmate, Glen Aldwinckle, who paid £200 a month to sleep on the sofa in the one-bedroom ground-floor flat, later told police he had never seen Port use drugs, and described him as "a very quiet person with very few friends", jurors were told.

Port's other victims Gabriel Kovari, 22, and Daniel Whitworth, 21, were found dead by the same dog walker on 28 August and 20 September 2014, respectively, in a corner of a walled cemetery near Port's home.

The final victim, Jack Taylor, 25, was found on the other side of the stone wall on 14 September 2015.

Port, now 46, was found guilty at the Old Bailey in 2016 of the four murders and sentenced to a whole-life order.

The inquest hearing continues.