Ex-policeman arrested in murder inquiry

Daniel Morgan was a private investigator

A former Metropolitan Police officer has been arrested by detectives investigating the axe murder of a private detective more than 15 years ago.

Daniel Morgan, 37, was found with an axe embedded in his head in the car park of the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham, south London, in March 1987.

The officer, who has not been named, has been held on suspicion of "misconduct in a public office" relating to the initial murder inquiry.

He is also being questioned about other unrelated offences - possession of child pornography and conspiracy to handle stolen goods.

£50,000 reward

The former officer, who comes from south London, was arrested on Friday and is being detained at a north-west London police station.

The inquiry into Mr Morgan's murder was reopened in June last year.

A reconstruction was shown on the BBC's Crimewatch UK programme and a reward of £50,000 for information leading to a conviction was offered.

Mr Morgan, originally from Monmouthshire, was the co-owner of a firm called Southern Investigations, which employed off-duty police officers, and there have been claims he was about to expose links between officers and a professional criminal.

Following Mr Morgan's death several police officers were arrested but later released and sued Scotland Yard for wrongful arrest.

Mr Morgan's business partner, John Rees, was later charged in connection with the case but proceedings were dropped.

Arrests made

A man in his 40s was arrested in connection with the murder in October and a second man, also in his 40s, was held in December.

A man and a woman - both in their 60s - were also arrested in Croydon in December on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

On the night of the murder Mr Morgan had been drinking in the Golden Lion with Mr Rees but was attacked in the car park.

His Rolex watch was missing but £1,000 in his pocket was left untouched.