Stephen Lawrence’s mother says decision not to charge police over murder inquiry ‘disgraceful’

Stephen Lawrence’s mother says a decision not to charge four retired officers over their handling of the original murder investigation has caused her immense distress and she will challenge it.

Baroness Doreen Lawrence said she has been left bitterly disappointed by the fact that the former Metropolitan Police officers will not face charges of misconduct in public office over their handling of the initial six weeks of the 1993 investigation.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which made the decision, acknowledged the Lawrence family would find it “deeply disappointing” and offered to meet them to explain in detail.

Mr Lawrence, 18, was stabbed to death by a group of white, racist youths in Eltham, south London.

The early investigation by the investigation team including the four officers, was widely criticised, and it took nearly 20 years for two of the killers to be brought to justice, while three suspects were never prosecuted. Gary Dobson and David Norris were finally jailed for life in 2012 after a trial hingeing on tiny traces of forensic evidence.

Baroness Lawrence told ITV News: “After 30 years in which there have been countless police investigations, a police complaint and a public inquiry, I thought there might be some hope of holding those police officers who failed me and my son to account.

“My hope has been in vain. I am bitterly disappointed with the CPS decision ... I will be seeking a review of it.

“Everyone knows that the first murder investigation was institutionally racist and yet there is no mention, let alone consideration, of racism in the CPS decision as being the possible reason for the officers acting as they did.

“Yesterday at London City Hall, Sir Mark Rowley accepted the obvious failings of the police in the first murder investigation but, despite this, not a single police officer has been disciplined or will be charged.”

She said the police had, yet again, got away “scot-free”.

open image in gallery

“Not a single police officer lost his job, or will lose his pension, or pay a fine or spend a day behind bars, whilst I will continue to grieve the loss of my son.

“This CPS decision has caused me immense distress and little thought has been given to me as a mother who has lost her son. This is a disgrace.”

In 1998, the Met apologised for how they handled the murder, and wide-ranging changes have since been made to the force.

The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry the following year found not only institutional racism in the Metropolitan Police, but also institutional corruption and incompetence.

open image in gallery

Ten days ago, Baroness Lawrence called for officers to be sacked after a new murder suspect was identified as Matthew White.

Two witnesses said White, who died in 2021, had confessed to being present during the attack. Police did not speak to one of the witnesses, his stepfather, until 20 years after the murder because officers had previously misidentified him.

The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, said it was satisfied that the National Crime Agency, which investigated the actions of the four ex-officers, had “explored every possible avenue”.

Sarah Green, head of the watchdog said: “We remain committed to bringing to light those events from many years ago relating to Stephen’s racist murder and we will publish the reports from all the IOPC investigations which followed the Ellison Review as soon as we can.”