THE report into the murder of a Cwmbran father and private detective has been delayed again - after Home Secretary Priti Patel ordered a review.

The Daniel Morgan Independent Panel was due to publish its findings yesterday, Monday May 17, but was told by the Home Office that ‘no Parliamentary time could be found to allow this to happen.’

The panel was then told that no publication date would be agreed until the Home Office reviewed the report to ensure it complied with human rights and did not compromise national security.

They said that they would keep parts of it - which is expected to contain a ‘sizeable chapter’ on police corruption - secret if necessary.

The panel said in a statement: “This review is being sought on the basis of the Home Office ensuring the report’s compliance with the department’s obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998 and for reasons of national security.

“The Home Office advised it would make redactions if it did not consider the report complied with these obligations.

“A review of this nature has not been raised previously in the eight years since the panel was established in 2013.

“The panel believes that this last-minute requirement is unnecessary and is not consistent with the panel’s independence.”

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The panel said that the Home Office had not previously mentioned there was a need to review the report and that they had worked with their counsel to ensure it complied with the relevant legal obligations including the Human Rights Act.

It added: “The Panel has worked closely with its counsel (a QC) and its solicitors throughout the course of its work to ensure the report complies with all the relevant legal obligations including the Human Rights Act 1998.

“A senior specialist Metropolitan Police team, subject to strict non-disclosure agreements, also reviewed all relevant parts of the near final report as part of a security check governed by an agreed protocol with the Metropolitan Police.

“This review enabled the report to be checked for any potential security risks.”

The Cwmbran father-of-two was killed with an axe in the car park of the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham, south-east London on March 10, 1987.

Five police enquiries and an inquest were held but no-one has been brought to justice for his murder. Three men were charged with his murder but later acquitted and given a payout by the Metropolitan Police.

Thirty-four years on, the case was referred to in an episode of the latest series of the BBC's hit crime drama Line of Duty, sparking a surge of interest on social media.

In 2013, Theresa May, then Home Secretary, announced the panel was being set up to examine the case. Their remit was to address questions relating to the murder including the police handling of the case, the role corruption played in protecting his killer – something referenced in the recent season of Line of Duty – and the links between private investigators, police and journalists connected to the case.

The panel said it is “disappointed”, but hoped the issue could be resolved so the report can be published in May.

It added: “The panel is disappointed with this position and hopes the matter can be resolved in adequate time for its report to still be published in May while Parliament is sitting.”