Metropolitan Police chief stresses it could take 18 months to bring charges over Grenfell

A senior Metropolitan Police officer has said it could take at least 12 to 18 months to review all the evidence relating to Grenfell so that charges can be brought.

Stuart Cundy, deputy assistant commissioner, said today’s Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 report is “direct, comprehensive and reaches clear conclusions”.

However, he warned that it is not simply a case of immediately bringing charges against those criticised in the inquiry’s report.

He said: “Our police investigation is independent of the public inquiry. It operates under a different legal framework and so we cannot simply use the report’s findings as evidence to bring charges.

“To secure justice for those who died and all those affected by the fire we must examine the report – line by line – alongside the evidence from the criminal investigation. As I said previously, this will take us at least 12-18 months.”

He said this will lead to the “strongest possible evidence” being presented to the Crown Prosecution Service so they can make charging decisions.

In May the Met Police said it has a dedicated team of 180 officers and staff working on its Grenfell investigation.

It said it is investigating 19 companies or organisations and 58 individuals, as suspects. It said it has spent more than year examining the tragedy and has collated more than 27,000 exhibits, including cladding, insulation, doors, windows and other parts of the building, down to screws, nuts and bolts.

Meanwhile Keir Starmer said the government will “carefully consider the report and its recommendations.”

He said: “I hope that those outside government will do the same.

“Given the detailed and extensive nature of the report, a further and more in-depth debate will be held at a later date.”

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer acknowledged that Sir Martin had set out a “catalogue of industry failures for which there must be full accountability”, but he also quoted the inquiry chair blaming “decades of failure by central government”.

Starmer said: “I want to start with an apology on behalf of the British state to all of the families affected by this tragedy. It should never have happened. The country failed to discharge its most fundamental duty: to protect you and your loved ones, and I am deeply sorry.”

He added: “I listened carefully to one of the members of the inquiry Ali Akbor this morning who said this: ‘what is needed is that those responsible for building safety to reflect and to treat Grenfell as a touchstone for all that they do in the future.’

 “I consider myself as someone responsible for building safety and that is exactly what I will do and what I’ll demand of this government.

 “Today is a long-awaited day of truth but it must now lead to a day of justice. Justice for the victims and the families of Grenfell.”