The Case of Anthony Walgate

Anthony Walgate, 23, was found dead outside a London flat in 2014 after meeting Stephen Port online. His death was initially mishandled, allowing the serial killer to continue targeting victims before being caught.

Anthony Walgate was a 23-year-old fashion student who became the first known victim of Stephen Port, a serial killer operating in Barking, London. On June 19, 2014, Walgate met Port through an online dating platform and went back to his flat, where he was given a lethal dose of GHB. After his death, Port moved Walgate’s body outside his residence and contacted emergency services, attempting to portray himself as an uninvolved bystander. Despite early contact with Port, the case was not properly investigated, and his involvement was not immediately identified.

Walgate’s body was discovered outside Stephen Port’s flat in Barking. Evidence later showed he had died inside the property before being moved outside. The scene suggested an attempt to distance the death from the interior location.

The initial investigation failed to identify Stephen Port as a suspect, despite inconsistencies in his account and his proximity to the victim. The death was not treated with sufficient suspicion, and opportunities to uncover the truth were missed. It was only after additional deaths occurred that investigators revisited the case, linking it to a pattern of similar crimes. This ultimately led to the identification and arrest of Port.

Stephen Port was arrested, charged, and convicted of the murder of Anthony Walgate along with three other victims. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Anthony Walgate’s case is widely regarded as a missed opportunity that could have prevented further murders.