Peter Morris

Peter Morris was killed outside The Telegraph Pub in Church Street, Stratford on Saturday 30 August 1986.

It was said that he had been shot three times, knifed and axed in the head in a battle between two five-men gangs.

Peter Morris had gone to The Telegraph Pub with a friend and it appeared that they and two other men were later ordered to leave the pub following an argument.

However, they later went back at about 10pm and issued threats but someone fired a warning shot at them and they were chased out of the pub by four or five men after which Peter Morris was found dying from injuries thought to have been caused by a meat cleaver outside The Telegraph Pub further along Church Street. His friend and another of his group were also badly injured.

It was said that the five-men gangs had started to argue in the bar room and that one side then pulled out a handgun, flick-knives and an axe and that the others left but then returned and a glass was hurled across the bar and a shot was fired. It was said then that the armed gang then chased the others out into the street and that five more shots were fired after which Peter Morris was found dead and two others were badly injured.

However, it was said that witnesses had been reluctant to say what had happened whilst other people gave conflicting stories of what had happened. The friend of Peter Morris who was also seriously injured said that they had been attacked by people that they didn't know.

Peter Morris had been a club boss, and had run a drinking club in Canning Town. He had lived in Strait Road, East Ham.

It was thought that his murder had been connected with the murder of Michael Collins who was killed a few days earlier on 25 August 1986.

Peter Morris's white and cream Rolls-Royce car was later noted as having been stolen earlier on 18 August 1986 and it was thought that that might have been linked to his murder. The police said that they thought that it was also linked to the murder of Michael Collins.

The police said that they thought that Michael Collins's death outside the Moonlight pub had been a mistake, it being said that it appeared that four men had tried to put the frighteners on him by stabbing him in repeatedly in the buttocks, but that one of the blows had slashed an artery and he had bled to death. Two men were tried for the murder of Michael Collins but acquitted.

With respect to the murder of Peter Morris, the police said, 'There is nothing directly to suggest that the latest incident  was a revenge attack or that this is the start of gangland war. However, the men last night obviously went armed and with a definite purpose'.

A man was tried for Peter Morris's murder after having been extradited from Spain but no evidence was presented when he appeared at the Old Bailey and he was acquitted. Two brothers were also extradited from Spain in connection with Peter Morris's murder but they were released at a magistrates hearing when no evidence was offered against them.