Daniel Morgan

On the evening of March 10, 1987, Daniel John Morgan, a 37-year-old private investigator, was found dead in the car park of the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham, south London. He had been killed with an axe embedded in his face. His Rolex watch and substantial cash were left untouched, indicating the motive was not robbery.

Morgan ran a private investigation firm, Southern Investigations, with his business partner Jonathan Rees. At the time of his murder, Morgan was reportedly about to reveal evidence of police corruption to a journalist. This connection made the case one of the most significant and controversial unsolved murders in British history.

Five separate police investigations failed to bring anyone to justice. In 2011, four men including Jonathan Rees were put on trial for Morgan's murder, but the case collapsed when the judge ruled that the prosecution had failed to disclose evidence. Police corruption was a consistent obstacle throughout the investigations.

In 2021, the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel published its findings after eight years of investigation, concluding that the Metropolitan Police had been guilty of 'a form of institutional corruption' in its handling of the case. The panel found that police had concealed evidence, obstructed investigations, and placed the interests of the organization above the pursuit of justice.