Stephen Lawrence’s mother brands one of his killers ‘a coward and a liar’

Stephen Lawrence’s mother has branded one of his killers a “coward” and a “liar” after he admitted his role in her son’s murder – but refused to reveal who else was involved.

David Norris, 49, spoke publicly at a parole board hearing for the first time on Tuesday about the racist attack on the 18-year-old, who was stabbed to death by a group of up to six youths in Eltham, southeast London, on 22 April 1993.

He said he was “deeply sorry” after he punched Stephen on the back of his head while he was crouched on the ground on his knees.

Norris, who was 16 at the time, said he could name the rest of the gang, including the member he saw holding a 22cm-long knife after the murder, but feared for his family’s safety.

He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 14 years and three months in January 2012, more than 18 years later, after he was found guilty of murder alongside Gary Dobson at the Old Bailey.

The Acourt brothers and Knight have denied being involved in the attack on Stephen Lawrence, while White was named as a suspect after his death.

Norris is making his first bid for freedom at a parole board hearing live-streamed from his prison to the Royal Courts of Justice, where he can only be seen on camera from behind.

Speaking outside court after watching two days of evidence, Stephen’s mother Baroness Doreen Lawrence, 72, said the “police now have no excuse not to act”.

“He says he’s sorry for the pain he caused me and my family. I don’t believe him,” she said.

“The only person he is sorry for is himself. As far as I’m concerned, he is a coward.

“He refused to show his face. He needs to look me in the eye and tell me exactly what he did and why he did it.”

Norris, a Category B prisoner, said he was no longer the “16-year-old horrible violent racist” and told Stephen’s family “I’m so sorry and please forgive me”.

But the hearing was told Norris has used racist language, including calling a female prison officer the N-word in October 2022, and was involved in “grooming” a vulnerable young prisoner to join the English Defence League the following year.

Baroness Lawrence said it had been “painful” to listen to Norris’s application for release and it is “crystal clear he is not safe to be released”.

“He is a danger to the public and a danger to people like me. He was a violent racist and is still a violent racist. He has not changed,” she said.

She said it was “numbing and incredibly frustrating” to hear Norris describe her son’s murder “but he is not telling the truth” and “trying to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes”.

“He was and remains a liar. Only if he tells the truth can anyone, including me, start to think he is truly sorry,” she said.

“The parole board should not fall for his lies and deception”.

Baroness Lawrence said it was “deeply shocking” the police and authorities have known for years Norris admitted his involvement in her son’s murder after he said he first confessed to a Catholic priest in 2018.

The Metropolitan Police closed its investigation in 2020 but the College of Policing has since launched a review.

“The police stopped investigating Stephen’s murder five years ago and have done nothing since, despite everything that has been revealed in that time,” she said.

“The police must now urgently investigate. This person can name the other killers and says he would love to do so. The police must do everything in their power to obtain that evidence and bring all of Stephen’s murderers to justice.

“The man owes me the truth and the Met owe me justice.”

Norris’s parole board hearing will continue on Friday in private, with a decision on whether he should be kept in prison, released, or moved to an open prison expected 14 days later.

Deputy assistant commissioner Matt Ward said: “Officers have been closely monitoring David Norris’ parole hearing and we remain committed to achieving the arrest, prosecution and conviction of all of those responsible for Stephen’s murder. We have commissioned the College of Policing to conduct a review of the investigations since October 2013 into the murder of Stephen Lawrence.

“The review is being conducted independently of the Metropolitan Police and we give it our full backing and support. The review is being led by an experienced investigator working for the College and will focus on identifying any outstanding lines of enquiry which could reasonably lead to a suspect being brought to justice.”