Stephen Lawrence’s friend says he could have identified murder suspect

Duwayne Brooks, inset, said he would have identified Matthew White, left, as one of the attackers of Stephen Lawrence if given the opportunity (Picture: PA)

The best friend of murdered Stephen Lawrence has accused the Metropolitan Police of sabotaging the investigation as he says he could have identified the sixth suspect if given the opportunity.

Duwayne Brooks was there when a group of five to six people attacked and killed 18-year-old Stephen in Eltham, south-east London in 1993.

Matthew White, who was revealed as the sixth suspect in the murder investigation last month, has now died – but Duwanye says he would have been able to pick him in a line-up.

He said: ‘If they had put him in an ID parade in front of me at the time I would have picked him out 100%.

‘There’s no doubt and I’m extremely confident other people at the bus stop would have picked him out and this case would have been solved then.’

White was first arrested in connection with the murder in March 2000, and again in December 2013.

Both times the Crown Prosecution Service said there was no realistic prospect of conviction, the Met said.

Duwayne now says the police ‘deliberately’ treated White as a witness and not a suspect, so he wouldn’t have to face an identity parade.

Duwayne Brooks with Stephen’s father Neville Lawrence, who called for a different force other than the Met to investigate Matthew White (Picture: PA)

He added: ‘I believe the investigation team were corrupt and made decisions they knew would be fatal to the investigation.

‘Matthew White was placed in the witness bracket when he should have been a suspect.

‘I took part in three or four ID parades and they brought before me every man and his dog, and cat and rat and mouse and hamster.

‘But this guy was never put before me. It was a deliberate act of sabotage. He died without having faced court.

‘It’s disappointing. He should have been brought before a jury.’

The 30th anniversary of Stephen’s death was marked earlier this year (Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Two men have been convicted of the murder – Gary Dobson and David Norris – and were jailed for life in 2012.

Other than White, brothers Neil and Jamie Acourt, who have since served time for drug dealing, and Luke Knight, have also been named as suspects.

All three have denied any involvement in the murder.

A Met Police spokesman said: ‘White first came to our attention as a witness in 1993.

‘He was arrested and interviewed in March 2000 and in December 2013, and a file submitted to prosecutors in May 2005 and October 2014.

‘On both occasions the CPS advised there was no realistic prospect of conviction of White for any offence.

‘In February 2020, White was spoken to again. There was insufficient witness or forensic evidence to progress.’

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‘If they had put him in an ID parade in front of me at the time I would have picked him out 100%.’