Grenfell fire victims ‘no closer to justice’ as inquiry closes

By Hannah Neary, Local Democracy Reporter 

Grenfell Tower survivors and victims’ families say they are “no closer to justice” and will “continue to fight” for prosecutions as the public inquiry into the tragedy ends.

More than five years after the blaze which killed 72 people, the final inquiry hearings were heard on Thursday.

In the last few weeks of hearings, loved ones relived the “horrific” circumstances of how the victims died as lawyers read out presentations confirming their harrowing last moments.

No criminal or civil prosecutions will take place until after a key report is published and the CPS could take months to decide whether to go ahead with proceedings before any trials begin.

Survivors and bereaved families group Grenfell United said the hearings have been “painful” and they want the Met and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to carry out criminal charges.

They said: “Reliving the details in such a public way made it even more difficult. But knowing that they died needlessly is the hardest part to accept.

“For the last four years we have listened to how we were failed by those who were responsible for our safety… This process has uncovered what we have always known. That Grenfell was totally avoidable… we will forever suffer the consequences of other peoples’ negligence, greed, and corruption.”

It later added: “We now await the Metropolitan Police and the CPS to bring about the necessary criminal charges and to prove to us that there is not a two tier justice system.

“We have been patient, we have given this process all the rope we have. But we have not healed and we are no closer to justice.

“We ask all those who have stood with us until now to keep going. This phase might be over, but the battle for justice is not, and we will continue to fight until those culpable are prosecuted.”

Chairman of the inquiry Sir Martin Moore-Bick will determine the facts of how the fire happened and make future recommendations in a report, which is expected to be published in 2023.

He told the inquiry on Thursday he doesn’t know when the report will be published and “the task may take a little while” having received about 1,500 witness statements and more than 300 days of hearing evidence.

He said: “It may appear to some that the inquiry is no longer active. That’s not the case… We shall be working very hard and as quickly as we can to produce our report.”

The inquiry has cost £150million so far and the first hearings began in May 2018. The final hearings ended on Thursday of last week and closing statements will be heard on November 7.  

Pictured top: Grenfell Tower on the fifth anniversary of the fire this year Picture: Hannah Neary