London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jun 21, 2026

Bring in outside force to nail all Stephen Lawrence’s killers, says his father

Bring in outside force to nail all Stephen Lawrence’s killers, says his father

Stephen Lawrence’s father says he doesn’t trust the Metropolitan Police to do their jobs
The father of Stephen Lawrence is demanding an outside police force is brought in to nail the final racist gang members who murdered his teenage son 30 years ago.

Dr Neville Lawrence, 81, says the Metropolitan Police is “not fit for purpose” and can’t be trusted to pursue new leads that might arise, which could let him see full justice before dying.

In a wide-ranging interview, Mr Lawrence told the Standard about three decades of pain and why Stephen’s body is buried in Jamaica.

Stephen, 18, was stabbed to death by racists in an unprovoked attack at a bus stop in Eltham, on April 22, 1993. The bungled original investigation was hampered by racism and alleged corruption. The 1999 Macpherson report branded the Met institutionally racist.

Mayor Sadiq Khan and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer are expected to attend a memorial service on Stephen Lawrence Day, tomorrow’s national commemoration.

Mr Lawrence says he has no interest in meeting Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley because the police chief won’t accept Baroness Casey’s recent conclusion that the force is institutionally racist, misogynist and homophobic.

He said: “I grew up as a child thinking the Metropolitan Police was the best force in the world. With Rowley I’ve made it plain, I don’t want to talk to him. I’m not going to waste my breath. He knows a lot about what is happening in the force. It’s not fit for purpose for black people in this country.”

It took 19 years for two of Stephen’s five killers to be brought to justice. Retired Detective Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll, who caught Gary Dobson, 47, and David Norris, 46, was told by a trial judge the Met shouldn’t “close the file” with “three or four other killers of Stephen Lawrence at large”. Driscoll said he was probing an alleged sixth member when taken off the case.

Mr Lawrence said: “There’s nobody in the Metropolitan Police I would trust to do what they are supposed to do. If Clive Driscoll was still in the force, I would feel more comfortable. At least you have one person. Can they send me another officer who, once he leaves the front door, I believe he’s going to do the job? The judge said to Clive, ‘Go and catch the rest’ and within weeks they got rid of him. So what’s that telling you? They’re not interested.

“If there’s powerful evidence to convict anyone who was part of that gang, I wouldn’t want the Metropolitan Police to have it. If it’s possible, a different police force somewhere in this country should take over the case.”

He added: “I’m convinced there is something why they don’t want this case to be solved. There’s somebody that may be involved with these boys who, if they talk, that person will be in trouble… But I’m a determined person. I think somehow all those others will eventually go to prison for my son’s murder. I don’t know how long I am alive for. I’m now 81. But I pray I see that before I go.” Norris will become eligible for parole next year and Dobson in 2025. Mr Lawrence, who forgave them after being baptised in a Seventh-Day Adventist church, plans to speak at both hearings to encourage them to admit their crimes.

Mr Lawrence yesterday spoke at an event in front of 700 Crown Prosecution Service staff at their HQ in Westminster.

Lionel Idan, Chief Crown Prosecutor for London South, said: “We must strive to work together now, to tackle these issues and the quiet dignity and strength of Dr Lawrence serves to remind us of the need to keep Stephen’s legacy alive for generations to come.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Government Tightens Procurement Rules to Prioritise National Security and Supply Chain Resilience
National Drought Group Reviews Water Supply Risks After Dry Spring and Ongoing Heatwave
Andy Burnham Faces Leadership Speculation After Weak Local Election Results for Labour
Charity Commission Appoints Interim Managers to Barnabas Aid Amid Financial Investigation
Government Awards £27 Million Leonardo UK Contract to Maintain Military Aircraft Fleet
Environment Agency Suspends Chichester Waste Site Permit Over Fire and Pollution Risks
Border Force Seizes Record Cannabis Shipment in Major UK Criminal Network Disruption
Lloyds Banking Group to Hire 300 Artificial Intelligence Specialists in Digital Expansion Push
UK Government Introduces Alcohol Monitoring Tags for 7,000 Offenders Ahead of Summer Sporting Season
Resident Doctors in England Prepare Vote on Government Pay and Working Conditions Offer
Police Scotland Investigates Suspected Anti-Muslim Attacks in Edinburgh Following Arrest
Met Office Issues Rare Amber Extreme Heat Warning Across Southern and Eastern England
UK Government Unveils Digital Homebuying Reforms to Cut Costs and Speed Up Property Transactions
Train Driver Dies and 89 Injured in Rail Collision Near Bedford as Safety Investigation Begins
Long-Term Economic and Political Effects of Brexit Continue to Shape UK Policymaking
Digital Disinformation Emerges as a Growing National Security Challenge in the United Kingdom
Britain's Dependence on Global Energy Routes Drives Push for More Resilient Supply Chains
Rising Energy Costs Continue to Threaten Britain's Cost-of-Living Recovery
Concerns Grow Over Far-Right Organizing and AI-Driven Online Radicalization in Britain
UK-Led Global Partnerships Conference Calls for Reform of International Development Finance
Middle East Tensions Continue to Weigh on UK Business Confidence
Reports of Middle East Peace Deal Ease Pressure on UK Energy Prices
UK Warns Middle East Conflict Could Worsen Global Food Insecurity
UK Economy Loses Momentum After Strong Start to 2026
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% Despite Easing Inflation
Brexit's Legacy Remains Deeply Divisive Ten Years After the UK Voted to Leave the European Union
International Anti-War Conference Opens in London as Debate Over European Rearmament Intensifies
UK Health Authorities Introduce Drug Price Concessions Amid Record NHS Medicine Shortages
Sir David Attenborough Supports Sherwood Forest Conservation Efforts After Loss of Major Oak
Aardman Animations Marks 50 Years With Major Exhibition in Bristol
Drax Cleared After Investigation Into Wood Pellet Sourcing Practices
Jaguar Land Rover Shifts Toward Hybrid Vehicle Production for US Export Strategy
UK Police Arrest Liberal Democrat MP Cameron Thomas on Suspicion of Assault
Health Concerns Grow Over Elevated Kidney Cancer Rates Near Lancashire PFAS Factory
Royal Navy F-35 Jets Conduct First NATO Air Warfare Exercise from Finnish Airspace
UK NHS Issues Price Concessions for Medicines Amid Severe Drug Shortages
Heathrow Third Runway Project Faces Sharp Downward Revision in Expected Economic Benefits
Amber Heat Warning Issued Across Parts of England and Wales as Temperatures Rise
Train Collision Near Bedford Disrupts UK Rail Network and Leaves Multiple Injured
Bank of England Data Suggests Brexit Has Reduced UK Economic Output by Around Six Percent
UK Borrowing Costs Hold Near 4.8 Percent as Political Uncertainty Fuels Market Pressure
Andy Burnham Emerges as Front-Runner to Succeed Keir Starmer After Landslide Makerfield Victory
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Faces Mounting Pressure to Resign After Labour By-Election Defeat in Makerfield
Payment Fraud Losses Reach £1.28 Billion and Raise National Security Concerns
Lending to Small Businesses Climbs to Highest Level Since Late 2024
Middle East Conflict Clouds UK Economic Recovery Despite Strong First-Quarter Growth
Bank of England Moves to Simplify Capital Rules for Smaller Lenders
UK Government Fast-Tracks National Security and Cyber Resilience Legislation
Ofcom Investigates Telegram Over Alleged Role in Organising Arson Attacks
MPs Press Fujitsu to Speed Compensation for Post Office Horizon Victims
×