The Recorder of London, His Honour Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC, today set a provisional timetable in the case against Stephen Port, an alleged serial killer.
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At a brief preliminary hearing at London’s Old Bailey court on Wednesday, Port appeared by video link from prison wearing a bright green and yellow jumpsuit.
Just under a month later, on September 20, the same dog walker discovered the body of Daniel Whitworth, 21, from Gravesend, Kent, near the same churchyard.
All four were found dead over a 15-month period, close to St Margaret’s Church (pictured above) in Barking, and were said to have been contacted via gay websites, reports Sky News.
A statement from the service said: “The Metropolitan Police Service has made a voluntary referral to the Independent Police Complaints Commission concerning the murder of four men in Barking between 19 June 2014 and 14 September 2015”. Four young men are dead.
Port faces four counts of murder and four counts of “administering a poison with intent to endanger life or inflict grievous bodily harm”.
Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said: “The Met Police appeal for information comes a year too late”. According to the Guardian, GHB, a party drug scientifically known as gamma-hydroxybutyrate, is common in the gay “chemsex” scene and gives users a heightened sense of arousal while decreasing inhibitions.
Mr Nagle added: “He has then had sex with them whilst unconscious and dumped their bodies in Barking cemeteries”.
The body of the fourth victim, Taylor, was found 10 months after Duffy says he first contacted the police.
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Barking and Dagenham police had initially ruled out a connection between the four deaths, but later referred the cases to Scotland Yard’s homicide unit. Concerns were raised with the police at the time by a friend of one the victims, Gabriel Kovari, but they seem to have been ignored.
