Four Lives viewers’ ‘blood is boiling’ over failed police investigation as Stephen Port drama reaches chilling end

FOUR Lives viewers were left fuming as the chilling true-crime drama ended tonight.

The BBC three-parter – which detailed the horrifying crimes of killer Stephen Port – left many criticising the police’s failed investigation.

But many hailed the performance of Stephen Merchant, who proved utterly chilling as the killer.

Former bus driver Port murdered Anthony Walgate, Gabriel Kovari, Daniel Whitworth, and Jack Taylor.

Four Lives told the story of the widely-criticised investigation into the crime and concluded with a notice that left many viewers fuming.

It explained how five officers who were reprimanded over failings in the case have since been promoted by the Metropolitan Police.

It said: “In December 2021 inquests into the death of Anthony, Gabriel, Daniel and Jack ruled that ‘fundamental failings’ by the Metropolitan Police ‘probably contributed to three of the four deaths’.”

It went on: “None of the officers involved in any of the investigations has been formally disciplined, and five have since been promoted.”

One viewer tweeted: “My blood boils #fourlives . Can we also appreciate how creepy @StephenMerchant is.”

Another wrote: “#FourLives was absolutely brilliant but to think that the police couldn’t connect the deaths is beyond me.”

A third posted: “How did all the families realise that these murders were connected but the police, who are so called professionals, not even investigate a connection until pressured by the families?”

Port was jailed in November 2016 for drugging and murdering men he met on a gay dating app before dumping their bodies in a graveyard.

Although his crimes are known as the Grindr Murders, they are also called the Barking Murders after the town where they occurred.