An Old Bailey judge has raised concerns that police failed to spot Peter Fasoli had been murdered by East Ham fantasist Jason Marshall for nearly two years.

Newham Recorder: Jason Marshall. Picture: Met PoliceJason Marshall. Picture: Met Police (Image: Archant)

Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC queried the initial investigation which concluded the 58-year-old died accidentally in a fire at his Northolt home, sparked by electrical equipment above his bed.

He said: “The experts, of course, can only work with what they have got. Fire experts and pathologists were working on the basis that no-one else had been with Mr Fasoli and we know that’s not the case.

“Social media records accessed later showed the defendant was coming to his home that evening.

“Bank records show that his card was used after his death. I have not heard from any police officer involved in the investigation. It’s not for me to investigate an investigation and I’m not expressing any concluded view.”

Newham Recorder: Peter Fasoli (Picture: Met Police)Peter Fasoli (Picture: Met Police) (Image: Press Association Images)

The judge said he wanted to “express the hope that someone who is in a position to do so, so far as the Met police is concerned, will look at whether procedures for investigations are sufficiently comprehensive and robust in such circumstances and quite how they operated here.”

Prosecutor Ed Brown QC outlined a “high level” probe at detective superintendent level by the Department for Professional Standards.

He explained the view of two fire experts and a scenes of crime officer that there was no “third party involvement” was confirmed by the first post-mortem examination on Mr Fasoli’s body.

Even though there was no sign of an accelerant being used and the door appeared to be locked from the inside, the death was still treated as “explained” and was “not a closed book immediately”.

The review of the case found there was no breach of any procedure, he said.

To access bank records, there would have to be a production order but the information available probably would not have passed the test imposed, the lawyer said.

The judge asked what would have happened if a family member asked police to make sure there was no activity on his bank account or social media.

Mr Brown said he would pass on the judge’s questions to police, adding: “We are looking at this case in hindsight and there are many thousands of deaths per year that are categorised as unexplained.

“I do not suggest for a moment the police did not do everything they should do. Looking at this in hindsight perhaps could disguise how difficult it is at the time.”

Marshall, 29, of Monega Road was today jailed for 39 years for murdering Mr Fasoli.