Grenfell Tower survivors say criminal charges are taking too long

Survivors and bereaved staged a walk from the tower block in memory of those who died

Survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire have demanded charges against those responsible for the disaster.

Campaign group Grenfell United said their patience was running out after more than four years since the tower block blaze killed 72 people.

They want the Met Police to abandon its decision to wait until the public inquiry concludes before passing evidence to prosecutors.

Instead, they want prosecutors to begin deciding on whether to bring charges.

This would be against companies and individuals.

A public inquiry into what happened is ongoing

The demand comes as survivors and bereaved took part in a silent walk in memory of their loved ones on Tuesday evening.

The walk comes exactly a week after the government apologised as part of the public inquiry into the fire, for past failures in oversight of the system regulating safety within the construction industry and the supervision of building control bodies.

'Patience running out'

Resident Edward Daffarn, who lived on the 16th floor, said: "I think that justice is probably what is most important to most people.

"We're using the four-and-a-half year anniversary to let those with power and in authority know justice delayed is justice denied.

"We need these people to start taking action against the perpetrators of the crimes committed against us."

Mr Daffarn, who famously predicted a fire in a blog post seven months beforehand, said: "We've been very patient.

"We've been very dignified, but our patience is running out now, and we need the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Met Police to start taking action against the perpetrators."

In a video released by Grenfell United as part of the call for charges to be brought, bereaved relatives, surrounded by boxes of documents, listed some of the evidence heard in the public inquiry so far.

They stated: "All this evidence, still no closure, still no action, still no justice."

The Met Police said its investigation "continues at pace" and one person had been arrested for perverting the course of justice. A number of interviews under caution for gross negligence manslaughter, corporate manslaughter, fraud and health and safety offences had taken place.

Seventy-two people died in the west London tower block fire

The force said: "The police and the CPS agree that the criminal investigation must take into account any findings or reports produced by the inquiry.

"If the police investigation concludes there is sufficient evidence to consider criminal charges in relation to the fire, a file will be submitted to the CPS for a decision. We have had regular engagement with the CPS since the beginning of the investigation and continue to do so."

Police are looking at the roles of up to 36 companies which were central to the refurbishment of the tower and have focused on the "route" by which flammable cladding and insulation came to be installed.

Possible charges range from breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act, to fraud, and individual or corporate manslaughter.