A retired detective who now runs a Thurne pub has walked free from court after he was accused of tampering with the investigation into the murder of a private eye.

A retired detective who now runs a Thurne pub has walked free from court after he was accused of tampering with the investigation into the murder of a private eye.

Sid Fillery, 63, has returned to the Lion Inn in the Broads village of Thurne after he was discharged by a judge at the Old Bailey.

Mr Fillery, a former Metropolitan Police detective, was part of the original Scotland Yard team probing the killing of 37 year-old Danny Morgan on March 10, 1987.

Mr Morgan, who co-ran the Southern Investigations agency in Thornton Heath, Surrey, was found dead outside the Golden Lion pub in Sydenham, south-east London, with a hatchet embedded in his head.

Mr Fillery was arrested in April 2008 and charged with perverting the course of justice over allegations he made a threat to a potential witness.

But following legal argument at the Old Bailey yesterday, he was discharged by Mr Justice Maddison.

Mr Fillery replied: “Thank you, my Lord.”

He declined to comment following the case.

Four men are due to stand trial for the murder of Mr Morgan at the Old Bailey on September 13 this year.

William Rees, 55, of Village Close, Weybridge, Surrey; Garry Vian, 49, of no fixed address; his brother Glenn, 51, of Orchard Road, South Croydon, Surrey and builder James Cook, 55, of The Glade, Kingswood, Tadworth, Surrey, are all in custody.

Mr Fillery has worked at the pub, alongside his family, for the past five years.