London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 01, 2026

Stephen Lawrence murder: Jamie Acourt 'cannot repay £90k' from drugs plot

Stephen Lawrence murder: Jamie Acourt 'cannot repay £90k' from drugs plot

One of the men suspected of murdering Stephen Lawrence in a racist attack has said he cannot pay £90,000 he made from a £3m drugs plot.

Jamie Acourt, 45, was jailed for nine years in 2018 after spending more than two years on the run, living in Spain under the alias Simon Alfonzo.

He was one of five men arrested over the 18-year-old's murder, who was stabbed in south-east London in 1993.

Last January, a court ordered Acourt to pay back the £90,000.

If he did not, the judge at Kingston Crown Court said he would face another year being added to his jail sentence.

The sum has since risen to more than £95,000, as it is accruing interest.

Acourt admitted conspiracy to supply drugs in a scheme which saw about 750kg of cannabis resin, with an estimated street value of £3m, moved between London and South Shields, Tyne and Wear, in 2014-15.

On Tuesday, Acourt asked Westminster Magistrates' Court if he could take the extended sentence which would see him jailed for a further six months.

He is currently due to be released on 3 November.

Acourt was arrested by armed officers as he left a gym in Barcelona


"I'm happy to take the default sentence because I have no way of paying the money," he said, adding: "I can't move to an open prison or anything because of this."

But District Judge Daniel Sternberg said he would not allow Acourt to take the extended sentence while he was in prison and said Acourt had no say in the jail where he is held.

He added: "Even if you serve the default sentence, that does not wipe out the debt you have to pay.

"But it is one of the tools the court has to put some pressure on you to pay."

The judge said the case would be relisted in October, ahead of Acourt's release date.

He was one of the five named suspects of killing black teenager Stephen Lawrence


Of the five men suspected of Mr Lawrence's murder, only two have been convicted over the killing, Gary Dobson and David Norris. They received life sentences in 2012.

Acourt's brother Neil Acourt was also arrested over Mr Lawrence's murder but never convicted. Both have always denied involvement in the attack.

In 2017, he was jailed for more than six years over the same drugs plot.

The fifth suspect, Luke Knight, has remained free.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
England Faces Renewed Scrutiny Over Sewage Discharges and Water Quality
Victoria Beckham Business Reports First Operating Profit Since Launch
BT Expects £2 Billion From Copper Sales During Full-Fibre Rollout
UK Train Drivers Secure 3.6% Pay Rise and Avert Strike Action
FCA Chief Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged Pressure on Consumer Group in Car Finance Case
Kemi Badenoch Names Andrew Griffith Shadow Chancellor in Conservative Reshuffle
UK House Prices Rise for First Time Since April
UK Shop-Price Inflation Accelerates to 1.5% in August
Met Office Data Point to Hottest UK Summer on Record
UK Announces Emergency Prison Release Measures and £110 Million Capacity Expansion
UK Launches Expanded Free School Meals and 1,400 Breakfast Clubs
Bank of England Governor Warns G20 of AI-Related Economic and Cyber Risks
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Calls for Greater Public Control of Water, Energy and Transport
UK Gains Full Access to £13 Trillion Trans-Pacific Trade Bloc
UK Long-Term Borrowing Costs Hit 28-Year High as Oil Shock Drives Global Bond Selloff
Royal Mail Keeps First-Class Stamps at £1.80 and Second-Class at 91p
Church of England Prepares Formal Apology Over Historical Forced Adoptions
UK Competition Regulator Caps Veterinary Prescription Fees at £21
UK Aviation Authorities Roll Out Airspace Changes to Reduce Flight Delays
England Makes School Allergy Policies Mandatory Under Benedict’s Law
England and Wales Tighten Child Safeguarding Checks by Removing Supervision Exemption
Cornwall Geothermal Plant Begins Commercial Power and Lithium Operations
UK Inflation Holds Near 2.9% as Energy Costs Remain a Risk
UK Productivity Growth Averages 1.1% Over Two Years, Resolution Foundation Says
England Introduces Nationwide School Smartphone Ban and Uniform Limits
UK Gives Border Officers New Powers to Seize Migrants’ Mobile Phones
Green Party Wins First Westminster By-Election in Gorton and Denton
UK and EU Advance Gibraltar Border Deal Allowing Spanish Guards to Conduct Arrival Checks
Robert Jenrick Joins Reform UK After Losing Conservative Whip
Andy Burnham Faces First Prime Minister’s Questions After Labour Cabinet Overhaul
ScottishPower Recycles Nearly All Materials From Historic Hagshaw Hill Wind Farm
Millions Travel Across England, Wales and Northern Ireland for Summer Bank Holiday
Met Office Issues Yellow Thunderstorm Warnings Across Southern England
Four Arrested After Bank Holiday Stabbing Violence in Kettering
Scottish Chamber of Commerce Warns Tax and Business Costs Risk Holding Back Scotland
UK Government Launches Youth Employment Drive With Major Retailers
UK and Ukraine Advance AI and Defence Technology Partnership
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Moves to Exclude Serious Offenders From Early Release
Twelve Arrested After A66 Crash Kills Seven, Including Two Police Officers
Bank of England Governor Warns AI Investment Boom Could Trigger Global Market Correction
London Science Museum Ends Long-Running BP Sponsorship
Scottish Homeowners Prepare Valuation Challenges Over Proposed Mansion Tax
UK Prosecutors Consider Charges Against Undercover Police in Spycops Scandal
James Cleverly Leaves Shadow Cabinet to Run for London Mayor
Avanti West Coast Drivers Agree 3.6% Pay Rise, Averting Strike Action
Allianz Explores £5 Billion Takeover of British Roadside Assistance Group AA
UK Government Retreats From Plan to Unfreeze Personal Income Tax Threshold
Northern Ireland Leaders Press UK Government for Sustainable Funding Settlement
UK Health Agency Warns Nationwide Salmonella Outbreak Could Worsen
NHS Warns Autism and ADHD Assessment Costs Have Become Unsustainable
×