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Jonathan Rees

Jonathan Rees (born September 1954) is a British who co-founded the agency Southern Investigations in 1984 with , whose axe murder in a car park on 10 March 1987 remains unsolved after five failed police investigations. Rees, who concentrated on cultivating sources within public institutions including and tax authorities, built a network that supplied confidential information obtained through , blagging, and other illicit means to tabloid newspapers such as the , which paid his firm £150,000 annually at its peak. In 2011, Rees was convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice for orchestrating a plot to plant on a to discredit her testimony in a custody dispute, receiving a seven-year sentence. The 2021 Daniel Morgan Independent Panel report detailed "institutional " by the in handling the murder inquiry, including Rees's documented associations with investigating officers and failures to pursue evidence against him despite his status as a across multiple probes. These events contributed to broader exposures of media-police , predating and paralleling the phone-hacking scandal, with Rees's operations exemplifying systemic vulnerabilities in law enforcement integrity.

Early Life and Initial Career

Upbringing and Merchant Navy Service

Jonathan Rees was born in September 1954 in , . After leaving school, he joined the . Little is documented about his family background or specific experiences during his Merchant Navy service, which preceded his entry into private investigation.

Transition to Private Investigation

Following his discharge from the Merchant Navy, Jonathan Rees, born in September 1954 in Doncaster, Yorkshire, transitioned into private investigation without formal training or certification in the field. This shift occurred sometime in the early 1980s, leveraging skills potentially acquired from maritime service, such as observation and handling confidential matters, though no specific preparatory experience is documented in available records. In 1984, Rees partnered with fellow investigator to found Southern Investigations, a small agency operating from in . The firm initially focused on , background checks, and information gathering for corporate and clients, establishing Rees's professional foothold in an unregulated industry prone to informal networks and ethical ambiguities. This partnership formalized his career pivot, predating widespread scrutiny of private investigators' methods in the UK.

Founding and Operations of Southern Investigations

Partnership with Daniel Morgan

In 1984, Jonathan Rees and established Southern Investigations, a private detective agency based in , , after meeting earlier in the decade at a previous employer, B.E. Madagan & Co. The firm operated from offices in by September 1984, providing services such as , investigations, vehicle repossessions, matrimonial inquiries, and process-serving. Morgan, described by clients as energetic and reliable, focused primarily on work and legal document service, while Rees handled core investigative tasks, though roles occasionally overlapped. The partnership's operations relied on a network of contacts, including police officers for unauthorized access to records like PNC-style checks, enabling rapid information gathering for clients. Key clients included Belmont Car Auctions (for security during events like a , 1986, robbery), finance companies, estate agents, solicitors such as Michael Goodridge, and early media outlets like the News of the World and Mirror Group newspapers. Examples of work encompassed evidence collection for cases like a September 1986 brothel investigation in and a February 1987 vehicle repossession in . Morgan's reputation for generating business through personal rapport contrasted with Rees's reliance on established police ties, including Detective Sergeant Fillery. Financial strains emerged by early 1987, including a £23,400 liability dispute in March, amid broader disagreements over operational decisions like settling a civil claim related to the for £18,000 on July 18, 1990. These issues highlighted differing approaches: Morgan's confrontational style with debtors versus Rees's preference for pragmatic resolutions, though the firm continued functioning until Morgan's death on March 10, 1987, after a meeting with Rees at the pub in Sydenham.

Business Model and Client Acquisition

Southern Investigations, co-founded by Jonathan Rees and in February 1981, operated as a private investigation firm specializing in a range of services including process-serving, work, , vehicle repossessions, , investigations, and security provision. The firm maintained cash-heavy operations, with annual earnings estimated at approximately £200,000 prior to Morgan's , though it faced a £100,000 loss in the immediate aftermath. Rees primarily handled investigative work for defense lawyers, while Morgan focused on fieldwork such as services and recovery, including executing rent warrants and repossessing assets like vehicles. The relied on leveraging personal and professional for discreet gathering, often extending to unethical or illegal methods such as sourcing information from corrupt officers, officials, and other insiders. Clients included solicitors, finance companies, businesses like Belmont Car Auctions (for which the firm provided security minders paid £25–£35 per night in ), and individuals involved in matrimonial disputes or litigation. Tabloid newspapers emerged as significant patrons, with the as the largest, paying up to £150,000 annually for information obtained through Rees's of compromised sources. Client acquisition centered on referrals from legal professionals and established business contacts, facilitated by meetings at venues like the pub and introductions via police associates such as Detective Sergeant Sidney Fillery. Rees cultivated media relationships by supplying confidential or sensitive data, including police leaks, which secured repeat commissions from outlets like the and, later, the (invoiced 230 times over two years post-Rees's release from prison). This network-driven approach prioritized high-value, rapid-turnaround inquiries over broad , though it exposed the firm to risks from reliance on channels.

The Daniel Morgan Murder and Investigations

Events of the Murder

On the evening of 10 March 1987, Daniel Morgan, a 37-year-old private investigator and co-founder of Southern Investigations, entered the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham, south-east London, around 9:00 p.m. to meet a contact who had promised information potentially leading to lucrative work related to ongoing probes into crime and corruption. Morgan's body was discovered later that night in the pub's car park, with an axe embedded in his head from blows delivered by an assailant or assailants who had lain in wait or followed him outside. The attack involved at least two strikes with a wood-chopping axe, causing catastrophic injuries including a deep laceration splitting Morgan's face from forehead to mouth; the weapon's handle snapped during the assault and was left at the scene alongside the body. Morgan's wallet, containing approximately £800 in cash, remained untouched in his pocket, indicating the killing was not motivated by but likely stemmed from the nature of his investigative activities. No witnesses came forward to describe the perpetrator(s), and the car park's dim lighting and isolation contributed to the absence of direct evidence of the assault itself. Initial police response focused on securing the scene, where forensic examination confirmed death by axe trauma around the time exited the pub, estimated between 10:00 p.m. and midnight; an later recorded a verdict of without identifying suspects at that stage. The premeditated character of the murder—evidenced by the procurement of the axe and the targeted nature of the blows—suggested professional involvement, though no arrests followed immediately.

Rees's Suspicions and Alibis

Rees, Morgan's business partner at Southern Investigations, was the last person known to have seen him alive, having drunk with him and Detective Sergeant Sid Fillery at the in Sydenham on the evening of 10 March 1987. Morgan's body was discovered in the pub's car park at approximately 9:40 pm, with the a single axe blow to the head. Rees left the pub before the , claiming he returned home to his in , where his presence was corroborated by his then-wife. This alibi contributed to his release without charge after an initial arrest on suspicion of on 8 April 1987, following three days in custody, as investigators lacked direct evidence linking him to the or weapon. Suspicions against Rees arose from reported business disputes with , including disagreements over the firm's methods of obtaining for tabloid clients, and the financial he gained by assuming sole of Southern Investigations after Morgan's death. The 2021 Daniel Independent Panel report concluded, based on witness testimonies and , that Rees likely commissioned the killing as a contract murder to prevent Morgan from exposing illegal activities at the firm, such as selling confidential ; the panel cited Rees's ties to corrupt officers and his brothers-in-law, Glenn and Garry Vian, as potential executors. However, Rees has consistently denied involvement, attributing the case's unsolved status to incompetence rather than institutional or external influence, and rejecting claims of motive tied to business practices. In subsequent inquiries, Rees reiterated that no impeded the probes under his influence, emphasizing flawed policing as the barrier to identifying the perpetrator, though he has not publicly named alternative suspects or detailed theories on the motive beyond general investigative failings. The absence of forensic evidence tying him to the axe or , combined with the verified , prevented charges in the initial 1987 investigation, though he faced murder charges in 2008 alongside the Vian brothers and , which collapsed due to evidential issues and witness unreliability.

Multiple Police Probes and Alleged Corruption

The in March 1987 triggered five investigations spanning from 1987 to 2011, each failing to secure a conviction despite extensive resources and arrests in the final probe. The initial inquiry, launched immediately after the discovery of Morgan's body in a Sydenham car park, concluded without charges amid early suspicions of investigative shortcomings. A second probe by Hampshire Police in 1988 examined both the killing and potential mishandling, while subsequent reviews in the 1990s and 2000s—culminating in Operation Bannock, which led to Jonathan Rees's 2008 murder charge—revealed persistent flaws including lost evidence and witness issues. Allegations of emerged from the outset, with claims that officers shielded suspects, including Rees, through leaks of confidential information and undue influence. The 2021 Daniel Morgan Independent Panel report determined that the exhibited "institutional " in its approach, characterized by a failure to confront internal wrongdoing and a culture prioritizing reputation over accountability, which undermined all investigations. In 2011, the publicly acknowledged that contributed to the first probe's failure, including officers' improper ties to private investigators like Rees. Rees, Morgan's former partner, was central to these corruption claims due to his documented of contacts within the , some of whom supplied him with sensitive data for Southern Investigations' clients, including tabloids. The Independent Panel highlighted evidence that Rees socialized in pubs with officers linked to the inquiries even after emerging as a , facilitating information exchanges that he maintained were not but mutual professional favors. These relationships, including with Constable Sid Fillery—who replaced Morgan as Rees's partner and was later convicted of possessing indecent images—allegedly extended to perverting efforts, though no direct involvement in the was proven. Rees has consistently denied orchestrating to evade scrutiny, attributing investigative failures to evidential weaknesses rather than systemic malfeasance. Broader probes into related , such as Operation Two Bridges in the early 2000s, targeted Rees's alleged of officers for but yielded limited outcomes amid claims of reluctance to pursue high-level networks. The persistence of these issues led to civil settlements, including the Metropolitan 's 2023 admission of failings and damages payout to Morgan's family, underscoring how allegations prolonged the case without resolution.

Ties to Tabloid Media and Investigative Methods

Relationship with News of the World

Jonathan Rees's private investigation firm, Southern Investigations, maintained a longstanding contractual relationship with the , serving as one of its primary suppliers of information for stories. Following his release from prison in 2004 after serving a seven-year sentence for , Rees secured regular commissions from the newspaper, which paid his firm approximately £150,000 annually for services that included sourcing sensitive data on public figures, such as bank accounts. The collaboration involved Rees employing a network of contacts, including corrupt officers, to obtain confidential police intelligence, vehicle registration details, and other restricted information that was then supplied to journalists for investigative reporting. Invoices and internal documents later revealed that Rees's operations facilitated the newspaper's acquisition of material through methods such as payments to officers for leaked files, with one documented instance in the early involving the handover of police documents related to high-profile cases. This arrangement exemplified broader practices in at the time, where private investigators bridged gaps between official sources and editorial needs, often bypassing legal constraints. The relationship came under intense scrutiny following the collapse of Rees's 2011 murder trial, when disclosures emerged linking executives directly to his firm for operations that included and unauthorized data access, as referenced in correspondence between Rees and newspaper staff. Despite these revelations, which highlighted the newspaper's reliance on illegally obtained material, no formal charges were brought against personnel specifically tied to Rees's contracts, amid the wider phone-hacking scandal that led to the paper's closure in July 2011. Investigations by the into related corrupt payments, such as Operation Elveden, examined but did not result in prosecutions directly from the Rees-News of the World dealings.

Techniques for Information Gathering

Rees's primary techniques for information gathering relied on cultivating a network of corrupt insiders, particularly within and agencies, to access confidential records and intelligence otherwise unavailable through legal means. He paid serving officers, including those in specialist units like the Criminal Intelligence Branch, for details from databases, such as vehicle registrations, criminal records, and surveillance logs. These payments, often in cash or via intermediaries, enabled Rees to supply tabloids with exclusive scoops on public figures, bypassing standard disclosure protocols. Beyond police contacts, Rees expanded his sources to include corrupt officials in , (for VAT records), and banking institutions, who provided financial data, import/export details, and personal account histories. Associates in his firm, Southern Investigations, reportedly commissioned burglaries targeting individuals' homes or offices to retrieve documents, photographs, or that could substantiate stories or negotiations. This , described by former colleagues as routine for high-value targets, involved low-level operatives executing break-ins under the guise of legitimate . Surveillance operations formed another core technique, combining physical tailing with technical intrusions, though Rees's network emphasized over emerging digital tools in the pre-smartphone era. He deployed teams for round-the-clock observations, often coordinating with paid informants to preempt targets' movements, and integrated blagging—deceptively obtaining information by impersonating officials—to verify leads from corrupted sources. These practices, documented in bugging operations from the early 2000s, revealed Rees boasting of a "" of 20-30 bribable contacts across agencies, ensuring rapid delivery of actionable for clients.

Role in Exposing Stories Versus Ethical Concerns

Rees's private investigation firm, Southern Investigations, supplied sensitive information to tabloid newspapers, including the , which contracted the agency for £150,000 annually to support journalistic inquiries. This arrangement enabled the publication of stories derived from data on public figures, such as probes into royal family bank accounts commissioned by the , , and . While proponents of such work argued it served by uncovering hidden financial dealings or scandals, the tangible outputs often aligned with sensationalist tabloid priorities rather than systemic exposés of wrongdoing. Ethical concerns arose from revelations that Rees's information-gathering relied heavily on a network of corrupt officers, who provided confidential —such as vehicle records, criminal histories, and surveillance details—in exchange for cash payments. Police operations, including a 1999 tap on Rees's phone lines under Operation , captured evidence of these transactions, demonstrating a systematic exchange that undermined law enforcement integrity. Techniques extended to email accounts, as in a 2006 incident where a executive received unlawfully accessed messages procured by one of Rees's associates, alongside methods like , , and deploying computer viruses to steal . These practices not only violated privacy laws but also perpetuated a police-media nexus that prioritized commercial scoops over legal and moral boundaries. Rees maintained that he never sold or provided illegally obtained to newspapers, asserting during a 2011 parliamentary that his operations avoided such dissemination. However, subsequent convictions of Rees and associates for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice—stemming from efforts to a with a video of —underscored the ethical rot, as the same networks used for "exposing" stories facilitated personal vendettas and institutional subversion. The disparity highlights a core tension: while tabloid stories occasionally illuminated elite misconduct, the reliance on and intrusion eroded public trust in both and policing, with inquiries like the Independent Panel later confirming 's role in impeding accountability.

Prosecution, Acquittal, and Malicious Prosecution Case

2008 Charges and Trial Collapse

In April 2008, Jonathan Rees was arrested on suspicion of the 1987 and charged two days later on 23 April, alongside brothers Glenn Vian and Garry Vian, as well as Rees's associate . The charges stemmed from Operation Jasper, a investigation that relied on forensic re-examination of evidence, witness testimonies, and allegations of Rees's motive tied to business disputes with Morgan. The defendants were remanded in custody pending trial at the . In March 2010, proceedings against Cook collapsed after the prosecution failed to adduce sufficient evidence linking him to the crime, leaving Rees and the Vian brothers as the remaining defendants. On 11 March 2011, the (CPS) discontinued the case against Rees and the Vian brothers, abandoning the prosecution on grounds that there was no realistic prospect of conviction. The primary factor cited was the CPS's inability to fulfill disclosure obligations to the defense, stemming from police mishandling of sensitive material, including undisclosed intelligence and witness statements potentially compromised by prior investigative corruption. A subsequent review by Her Majesty's Inspectorate confirmed that evidential weaknesses, particularly around supergrass testimonies and forensic chain-of-custody issues, rendered the case untenable, though it noted no deliberate nondisclosure by prosecutors themselves. This collapse marked the fifth failed attempt to prosecute suspects in the Morgan murder, highlighting systemic disclosure failures within the .

Civil Suit Against Metropolitan Police

After the criminal proceedings against Jonathan Rees, Glenn Vian, and Garry Vian were discontinued on 10 March 2011, resulting in not guilty verdicts for the , the three men initiated civil proceedings against the . The suit alleged and in public office, asserting that the charges had been brought and pursued without reasonable and , with investigating officers acting out of malice or improper purpose. The claimants argued that senior Metropolitan Police officers, including Detective Chief Superintendent Trevor Fancy and others, knowingly relied on weak or contaminated evidence—such as disputed DNA traces on Morgan's axe handle—to secure charges, driven partly by institutional pressure to resolve the case after four prior failed investigations and amid corruption allegations against the force. The original trial had collapsed in March 2010 when a judge ruled key forensic evidence inadmissible due to handling irregularities, leading to the claimants' release on bail before full discontinuance. Rees and Glenn Vian endured 682 days in custody, much of it in high-security Category A facilities, while Garry Vian faced similar restrictions; the suit sought compensation for this loss of liberty, emotional distress, reputational damage, and exemplary awards to deter police misconduct. Separate but parallel claims were advanced by co-defendant Sid Fillery, who had pleaded guilty to in an unrelated matter during the proceedings; his action focused on tied to fabricated evidence allegations. The case underscored broader concerns over police handling of the Morgan inquiry, including suppressed intelligence on Rees's prior suspicions and potential conflicts from officers' ties to private investigation circles, though the suit centered on the absence of prosecutorial justification rather than the claimants' underlying activities.

Court Rulings and Damages Awarded

In February 2017, Mr Justice Mitting dismissed the claims of Jonathan Rees, Glenn Vian, and Garry Vian for and in public office against the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, ruling that there was insufficient evidence of malice or that the prosecution lacked reasonable and . The Court of Appeal overturned this decision on 5 July 2018, finding that the had pursued the prosecution without reasonable cause and with malice, primarily due to the actions of Detective Sergeant Sid Fillery, who assumed control of the investigation despite his prior professional ties to Rees and personal conflicts of interest; the court held the Commissioner vicariously liable for and . On 31 July 2019, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb assessed damages in the , awarding a total of £414,000 to the three claimants; Rees received £155,000, comprising £27,000 in basic damages for distress, £60,000 for loss of liberty, £18,000 in aggravated damages reflecting the police's high-handed conduct, and £50,000 in exemplary damages as one-third of a £150,000 global exemplary award to deter oppressive official behavior. Glenn Vian received an identical £155,000, while Garry Vian was awarded £104,000 under similar heads. Rees appealed the quantum assessment, arguing for higher compensation including pre-judgment interest, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal on 20 January in Rees v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis EWCA Civ 49, upholding the £155,000 award without interest on non-pecuniary , as such awards are assessed prospectively to reflect the wrongdoer's conduct at the time of the ; the court noted that exemplary had already served to the police's egregious failings.

Legacy and Broader Implications

Persistence of Unsolved Murder

The on 10 March 1987, in which he was struck twice in the head with an axe in the car park of the pub in Sydenham, south-east , has endured without resolution despite six major police investigations spanning over three decades. These probes, conducted by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), included operations from 1987–1989, 1998–2000, 2003–2004, 2004–2006, 2008–2010, and 2019–present, yet none resulted in a conviction due to evidentiary failures, witness intimidation, and institutional shortcomings. Central to the persistence of the case unsolved is evidence of , as detailed in the 2021 Daniel Morgan Independent Panel report, which concluded that " was a significant factor in why the has remained unsolved." The panel, established in 2013 and reporting after eight years of review, identified deliberate shielding of suspects through leaked information, tampered evidence, and conflicts of interest involving officers linked to private investigators like Jonathan Rees, Morgan's who succeeded him in their . Specific instances included the 1989 arrest of Rees and others on murder charges, which collapsed due to unreliable informant testimony later recanted amid claims of police pressure, and a 2008 reinvestigation halted by prosecutorial review citing insufficient evidence after key witnesses withdrew. Further compounding the impasse, the admitted in 2023 that "failings in the , including , played a significant part in why the case remains unsolved," leading to a settlement with Morgan's family that included undisclosed damages and an apology, though without fresh leads toward prosecution. Lost or withheld files, such as those discovered in a locked at MPS headquarters in 2023 after being missing for years, underscore systemic mishandling that eroded and forensic viability over time. Despite motives speculated around Morgan's probes into and drug networks—potentially threatening figures like Rees—no conclusive evidence has overcome these barriers, leaving the case emblematic of entrenched institutional resistance to accountability.

Insights into Police-Media Nexus

Rees's operations exemplified a symbiotic yet illicit exchange between private investigators, corrupt police officers, and tabloid journalists, where confidential data was commodified for media stories. Through Southern Investigations, Rees paid cash bribes to officers, including Detective Constable Tom Kingston, to obtain sensitive materials such as reports and Police Gazette bulletins, which were then supplied to outlets like the for £150,000 annually. These transactions relied on personal networks, including Freemason connections among officers, enabling rapid access to records like DVLA details or bank accounts of public figures, often within minutes via "blaggers" or direct leaks. Such practices not only fueled exclusive scoops—e.g., details on Noye's arrest or the investigation—but also underscored how media incentives for incentivized , with officers selling data for personal gain. The collapse of Rees's 2011 murder trial further revealed systemic entanglements, as Scotland Yard's prior bugging of his office (Operation Abelard, 1999–2000) captured evidence of ongoing dealings with corrupt sources, yet this intelligence was selectively used or overlooked in broader inquiries. Post-release from a 2000 conviction for framing a with planted cocaine—another instance involving officer DC Austin Warnes—Rees was rehired by News of the World editor , despite known corruption ties, highlighting media willingness to overlook ethical breaches for story value. This pattern extended to surveillance of investigators in the case, where News of the World reportedly targeted Detective David Cook and his wife to undermine probes into . Broader revelations from the Independent Panel (2021) confirmed "institutional corruption" in the , including officers moonlighting for Rees's firm and , which impeded murder inquiries while sustaining the flow of leaks to . The panel's findings, drawn from decades of investigations costing £20–40 million, illustrated how venal relationships—rather than isolated "rogue" acts—fostered a where venality met demand, eroding public trust and accountability without robust oversight. These dynamics persisted despite anti-corruption drives, as corrupt personnel exploited platforms to evade scrutiny, prompting calls for structural reforms in both institutions.

Perspectives on Corruption and Accountability

The Independent Panel's 2021 report characterized the Police's handling of the 1987 investigation as exemplifying "institutional ," with specific failures to confront of officers accepting bribes from private investigators including , who operated a network supplying confidential data to tabloid newspapers. The panel documented how Rees's firm, Southern Investigations, paid serving officers for leaked information on over 200 occasions between 1999 and 2002, enabling stories for outlets like the , yet police anti- units repeatedly overlooked or inadequately pursued these links despite internal awareness by 2000. This pattern contributed to the collapse of five separate probes, as corrupt relationships shielded suspects and , eroding and delaying for the unsolved killing. Rees has maintained that his interactions with police, including information exchanges, did not amount to corruption, framing them as routine professional contacts rather than illicit transactions, a view he reiterated in a 2021 BBC interview following his 2011 murder acquittal. Critics, including the panel, countered that such denials reflect a broader cultural tolerance within policing for "dark arts" methods, where officers traded sensitive data for cash—Rees's agency disbursed £150,000 annually to sources in 2001 alone—without rigorous oversight, perpetuating a nexus that prioritized expediency over ethical standards. The 2010 trial collapse, due to jury tampering and withheld evidence, further exemplified accountability lapses, as prosecutors pursued charges amid known investigative flaws, leading to Rees's successful 2018 civil claim for malicious prosecution and misfeasance in public office, where courts awarded damages totaling over £400,000 to Rees and co-claimants for baseless continuation of proceedings post-evidentiary failures. In response to the panel's findings, the in 2023 pledged reforms to enhance accountability, including mandatory reporting of contacts by officers and expanded oversight of risks in police-media interactions, acknowledging that prior policies allowed corrupt practices to persist unchecked. Legal scholars have viewed the rulings as setting precedents for exemplary damages in cases of prosecutorial overreach, emphasizing that while Rees's own criminal convictions for conspiracy to pervert justice in underscored personal culpability, systemic incentives—such as inadequate whistleblower protections and fragmented intelligence handling—fostered environments where accountability mechanisms failed, as seen in the Met's delayed internal probes into Rees's network until 2006. These perspectives highlight a on the need for structural changes, though implementation challenges persist, with ongoing scrutiny of whether reforms sufficiently dismantle entrenched police-private sector corruptions exposed by the case.

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