The Metropolitan Police has apologised to the family of a 19-year-old student following an investigation into the handling of his death, admitting elements of the original inquiry “did not meet the high standards we expect”.
Ed Cornes, who was gay, died in October 2021 just two days into his first term at University College London. His body was found in a hotel basement room near King’s Cross after a night out.
An ITV News investigation has raised serious concerns about how the case was handled, with Ed’s family alleging the inquiry was undermined by failures and influenced by homophobia.
In a statement released on Monday, 29 June the Met said: “We apologise for the pain caused to Edward’s family through the handling of our investigation. We acknowledge that aspects of the initial investigation were not handled correctly and did not meet the high standards we expect.”
The force confirmed that specialist officers are now reviewing the case, adding: “Specialist officers are now reviewing the original investigation into Edward’s death and surrounding circumstances to determine if there are any possible further lines of enquiry.”
Two men, aged 55 and 58, were arrested on suspicion of murder at the time but were later released without charge.
An inquest heard that Ed had been drinking heavily before leaving his student halls in the early hours and meeting one of the men, who took him to the hotel where a second man was present. He was found dead several hours later with 36 cuts and other injuries, and high levels of the drug GHB in his bloodstream.
The inquest was also told the two men delayed calling an ambulance while attempting to redress him and reposition his body.
Ed’s mother, Miriam Blythe, has been openly critical of the police investigation, describing the apology as insufficient. She told ITV News it felt “shallow” and “too little too late”.
“It’s a small victory,” she said. “I am pleased they are doing a review, and I hope justice will be served in the end.
“But it’s been a horrible, devastating struggle where I always knew I was right, and had multiple police officers telling me I was wrong.
“Your son dies in horrible circumstances and then the police say it’s all his fault. It’s been devastating.”
Ms Blythe has previously accused officers of treating the family “appallingly” and said the investigation was fundamentally flawed. She alleged key witnesses were not interviewed and vital evidence - including CCTV and blood samples - was lost. An internal review later identified 27 failings.
She has also said the investigation was shaped by assumptions about her son’s sexuality. According to Ms Blythe, officers made homophobic remarks, including telling her that “with man-on-man sex, anything can happen”.
The Metropolitan Police has acknowledged the comment was made and apologised for the distress it caused.
Despite earlier insisting that all lines of inquiry had been explored, the force has now met with the family to apologise in person and has pledged to keep them updated as the review progresses.
An independent investigation by the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), is ongoing.
A spokesperson said it is examining “a number of complaints” relating to the Met’s handling of the case, including “alleged failures in the investigation into Edward’s death, its handling of the subsequent coronial proceedings and inquest… and its communication with Edward’s family”.
They added: “We have been liaising with Edward’s family to determine the scope and breadth of our investigation and we will keep them regularly updated as our enquiries progress.”
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