No inquiry on private eye murder

Mr Morgan's killers have never been found

A family's calls for a public inquiry into the murder of a private investigator have been turned down.

Daniel Morgan, who was 37, was killed with an axe in a pub car park in Sydenham, south London, in 1987, but his killer has never been found.

Home Office Minister Hazel Blears agreed to investigate after meeting the Powys-based Morgan family in October.

She wanted to examine their allegations of police corruption but the family has been told that their appeal has failed.

Mr Morgan's mother Isobel Hulsmann now lives in Hay-on-Wye, but he was originally from Llanfrechfa, Monmouthshire.

In a letter to the Morgans' solicitor, Mrs Blears said the first investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) into the murder was "less than satisfactory in a number of respects."

We are obviously very disappointed Alastair Morgan

In July, Home Office minister Caroline Flint said the government would not order a public inquiry into the murder, even though four separate police investigations had failed to find Mr Morgan's killer.

Then in September, the Morgan family revealed it had received money from the Legal Services Commission to enable it mount a challenge in the High Court against the Home Office's decision.

Mr Morgan's brother Alastair said he was appalled by the latest refusal to hold a public inquiry.

In her letter to the Morgans' solicitors, Mrs Blears said that having reconsidered the case, she remained "firmly of the view that a further inquiry would not be an appropriate course to follow."

Hazel Blears met the family in October

"I have noted your numerous concerns about the first investigation and your conclusion that it was fatally flawed," she continued.

"The MPS has provided considerate information which has allowed me to consider carefully the concerns of the family in relation to the first investigation.

"They have acknowledged to me that there were failings in that first investigation and that it was undermined because of the involvement of certain individuals within the investigation team."

Mrs Blears also wrote: "The first investigation does seem to me to have been less than satisfactory in a number of respects."

In response, Daniel Morgan's brother Alastair said: "We are obviously very disappointed and we think it's an appalling decision.

"We will be issuing proceedings next year and expect to challenge her (Mrs Blears') decision in the High Court."

Roger Williams, Mrs Hulsmann's MP, also criticised the Home Office's decision. He said: "Not only is this decision of immense disappointment to the family, it is an insult to the concept of justice and fair trial that this country claims to uphold."

Daniel Morgan was the co-owner of a firm called Southern Investigations which employed off-duty police officers.