London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Aug 11, 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
Turkish Parliament Passes Landmark Bill Granting Conditional Amnesty to Disarmed PKK Members
Donald Trump Warns FIFA Against Ousting Gianni Infantino Amid Revolt by Global Football Leaders
Jeff Bezos Joins Investor Group Closing In on $6 Billion Liverpool FC Stake
UK Councils to Receive Sweeping Planning Powers to Ban New Vape and Betting Shops
Former Labour Adviser Arrested on Suspicion of Spying for China Held Privileged Access as Top Party Donor
Nicola Sturgeon Says She Has No Contact With Estranged Husband After SNP Embezzlement Case
Police Arrest Two Men After Aberdeenshire Defense Technology Office Break-In
Greater Manchester Councils Gain Powers to Restrict New Vape and Betting Shops
Coroner Finds Treasury Workplace Failures Contributed to Personal Assistant’s Suicide
English and Welsh Courts Ban Meta Smart Glasses Over Recording and Privacy Risks
Strait of Hormuz Disruption Could Double UK Inflation and Trigger Recession, Forecasters Warn
UK Expands Global Talent Visa Scheme to Support Research-Intensive Companies
UK Equity Funds Suffer Record One Point Six Billion Pound Outflow Amid Capital Gains Tax Fears
Three-Quarters of England Enters Drought as Fifth Summer Heatwave Raises Economic Risks
UK Hiring Stabilizes for First Time Since 2022 as Employers Adjust to Higher Payroll Costs
UK Chancellor Orders Whitehall Spending Cuts as Public Debt Exceeds Three Trillion Pounds
UK Manufacturing Output Records Fourth Straight Month of Growth
UK Condemns Russian Torture of Ukrainian Prisoners and Recruitment of Foreign Nationals
Long-Lost Royal Navy Warship HMS Tiger Found in English Channel After 118 Years
Northern Ireland Finance Minister Seeks Urgent Treasury Talks Over Regional Budget Pressures
UK Government Targets Subscription Traps and Misleading Discounts in New Consumer Rules
Alleged Cartel Boss Daniel Kinahan Extradited From Dubai to Face Criminal Charges
AI Chatbots Challenge Traditional News Consumption and Raise Job Concerns
Andy Burnham Government Promises Crackdown on Exploitative Business Practices
UK University Funding Model Faces Growing Pressure From Unsustainable Student Debt
Government Urged to Subsidise Energy Bills for Vulnerable UK Households
UK Military Spending Plans Threaten to Deepen Infrastructure Funding Gap
Israeli Government Rejects US Peace Framework for Gaza
New Labour Government Signals Closer Economic and Strategic Ties With European Union
Amber Heat-Health Alerts Issued Across England as Temperatures Threaten 36 Degrees
UK Economy Expected to Grow Despite Energy and Supply Chain Shock From Iran Conflict
Foreign Social Media Accounts Drove Disinformation During Belfast and Southampton Riots
Record Number of Migrants Cross English Channel in Single Vessel as Smugglers Deploy Mega-Dinghies
Russia’s A7 Builds a State-Linked Payments Network Beyond Western Sanctions
Reports of Mark Zuckerberg-Linked Superyacht Declining Rescue Assistance Draw Maritime Scrutiny
Preserving Three Banksy Artworks in London Has Cost Taxpayers Nearly £150,000
Four Ugandan Athletes Disappear From Delegation After UK Sporting Events
French Authorities Report Channel Interventions as Cross-Border Migration Dispute Continues
Home Office Admits Error in Settled Status Case Involving Long-Term Italian Resident
Unite Calls for Independent Review of UK Budget Watchdog's Fiscal Forecasting Rules
Thinktank Calls for £175 Annual Energy Bill Cut for Low-Income Households
Foreign-Linked Social Media Accounts Amplified Recent Unrest in Belfast and Southampton, Analysis Finds
London Mayor Sadiq Khan Orders Westminster to Drop Proposed Soho and West End Hospitality Ban
Royal Navy Deployments to Monitor Russian Activity in UK Waters Rise 25 Percent
UK Economy Expected to Grow 0.4 Percent in Second Quarter Despite Geopolitical Pressures
Andy Burnham Launches Cost-of-Living Measures Targeting Subscription Traps and Misleading Discounts
Hyper-Realistic Reborn Dolls Draw Collectors Seeking Comfort and Craft
Gen Z Cuts Back on Dating as a Night Out Nears $200
Patients Turn to Artificial Intelligence for Therapy as Psychiatrists Warn of Privacy and Clinical Risks
Couples Embrace ‘Sleep Divorce’ to Protect Rest and Reduce Tension
×