Mirror Books signs Murphy-Bates on serial killer Port

Mirror Books has signed journalist Sebastian Murphy-Bates' book on serial killer Stephen Port. 

The publisher aquired world rights for Easy Kills from Murphy-Bates, an editor at the Daily Star. The book will be published on 20th January, a few weeks after a major BBC drama about Port named “Four Murders” airs, starring Sheridan Smith and Stephen Merchant.

Its synopsis explains: "Easy Kills tracks Port’s life and crimes and questions the role of Barking and Dagenham Police, who were investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) as a result. Officers neglected to check Port’s electronic devices when the first overdosed body turned up outside his flat in June 2014. They found Port had called 999 trying to pose as a bystander after hiring the young man as an escort. He was not charged with murder, but perverting the course of justice.

"In August 2014, a second body turned up 400 yards from Port’s front door. The young immigrant’s corpse showed signs of being dragged. No investigation was opened. Less than one month later, another body turned up in the same churchyard. Port was jailed in March 2015 after being given eight months for perverting the course of justice. He served just under three. Had he served the full sentence, he wouldn’t have been free to murder his fourth victim, Jack Taylor."

On 10th December an inquest ruled failings by the Met Police contributed to the deaths of Port's final three victims. 

“Having followed the Stephen Port case since his 2016 trial, I remain astounded at the trial of failures that littered the police’s investigation,” said Murphy-Bates. “Indeed, it is probably too generous to associate the word “investigation” with the overall nature of their actions as they let an incompetent murderer lure four young men to their deaths. I am horrified by the transparency of Port’s actions—from his faking of stumbling across a body to dumping them in public locations—in light of the fact that these deaths were deemed non-suspicious. Port is a dangerous predator and prolific sex attacker—how he was missed with the many clues he left is beyond me.”