The Met has now submitted all files to the Crown Prosecution Service to allow them to make charging decisions in relation to the Grenfell Tower fire.
The 20 files relate to 20 companies and organisations and 54 individuals.
They ask the CPS to consider charges including corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, health and safety offences, fraud and fraud-related offences and misconduct in public office.
The CPS has committed to making the charging decisions before the 10th anniversary of the fire in June 2027.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Kevin Southworth said: “This
is a milestone moment in the police investigation into this devastating tragedy
which took the lives of 72 people.
“Our dedicated team of 220 investigators has worked incredibly hard to honour our commitment to the bereaved, survivors, residents and all those affected by the fire to meet this timescale.
“We appreciate, of course, it has taken nine years to get to this point. As we have said before, this is one of the most complex investigations ever undertaken by any UK law enforcement agency - the scale is truly enormous.
“While we know this has had a significant impact on those waiting for answers, it has necessarily taken this long to ensure our investigation is meticulous and presents the very best possible evidence to the CPS for charging decisions.”
The police investigation has been immense:
- The role of more than 15,000 individuals and 700 organisations involved in Grenfell Tower has been examined. Careful gathering and analysis of the evidence has then led to 54 people and 20 organisations being identified as suspects for the criminal offences referred today to the CPS.
- As well as the 20 files, the submission to the CPS also includes 14 overarching evidence files. The word count of the Met’s summary reports alone to the CPS exceeds four million over 12,600 pages, referencing more than 45,000 documents, images and exhibits.
- The investigation team has been in close liaison with the CPS throughout the investigation to obtain guidance and advice in order to submit the best possible evidence to enable them to reach charging decisions. This will continue.
- The police response to the fire began with a recovery operation to find, recover and identify all those who died. Every single flat and communal area was thoroughly and meticulously searched. This included a full forensic fingertip search, with police officers and forensic experts examining approximately 15 tonnes of debris on each floor.
- Grenfell Tower was held by police as a crime scene for 14 months.
- Over the course of the police investigation, 165 million electronic files have been gathered to meticulously search for evidence.
- Investigators also examined in detail the work of the public inquiry, including the 1,700 pages of the final report, to cross reference against the police investigation and ensure they had obtained every possible piece of evidence.
- A total of 14,700 statements have been taken.
- More than 27,000 exhibits, including cladding, insulation, doors, windows and other parts of the building, down to screws, nut and bolts, remain stored in a secure warehouse.
Abena Oppong-Asare MP, Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee said: “The bereaved, the families and survivors of the Grenfell tragedy have suffered an agonising and unacceptable nine-year wait for justice.
“I hope that the Crown Prosecution Service will now deliver the accountability, transparency, and justice which the victims of Grenfell deserve.
“I urge the Government to do all they can to help avoid any further delays and, outside of any criminal proceedings, ensure that building safety is a top priority.”
