Case reviews boost clear-up figures

The clear-up rate for London murders has also hit an all-time record.

So far this financial year, murder detectives have recorded a clear-up rate fractionally below 98 per cent.

The total is in stark contrast to three years ago, when it was 70 per cent, sparking a highly critical report by the police watchdog, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.

In total, 189 murders have been solved so far this financial year, compared with 193 which have taken place. This does not mean 98 per cent of this year's murders have been solved, as 38 of the successful detections involved killings which happened in previous years.

A total of 151 murders which have taken place so far this financial year have been solved, a clearup rate of 78 per cent, which is itself an all-time high.

Clear-ups have been boosted by a string of "cold case" reviews which have produced dramatic results - including the jailing this month of Nimpha Ong and her lover Ahmad Al-Haddad for the murder of wealthy pensioner Bridget Skeehan last year.

But much of the increase is due to a massive effort to improve investigations led by Commander Andy Baker, head of the Met's murder squad. Massive leaps forward in forensics and other technology - especially computers - are being exploited to the full and senior officers encouraged to find new ways to use them.