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Who killed Stephen Lawrence and where are they now? – The Sun | The Sun
IN 1993, the murder of Stephen Lawrence shocked the nation.
Here we take a look at what happened to 18-year-old Lawrence and where the men responsible for his murder are now.
Who killed Stephen Lawrence?
In May 2011 Gary Dobson and David Norris finally faced trial for Stephen's murder following a review of forensic evidence that found the victim's DNA on the defendants' clothes.
Both received life sentences with Dobson jailed for a minimum of 15 years and two months and Norris for 14 years and three months.
The judge at their trial described the attack as a "crime committed for no other reason than racial hatred''.
Mr. Justice Treaty continued: "A totally innocent 18-year-old youth on the threshold of a promising life was brutally cut down in the street in front of eyewitnesses by a racist thuggish gang.
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"You were both members of that gang. I have no doubt at all that you fully subscribed to its views and attitudes."
At the time of the killing Norris, then 16, was living in a gated home thanks to his drug baron dad – but when arrested in 2010 he resided in a bedsit selling scrap metal.
In 1994, police using covert surveillance on Dobson captured Norris spewing vile racist language in a shocking rant.
In 2002 he had been jailed for 18 months for a racist attack on an off-duty black police officer.
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Dobson, who was 17 at the time of the attack, lived on the Brook Estate in South-East London.
In 2010 he was jailed for five years for drug dealing.
The Met continued to appeal for information that could identify other suspects in the case in the hope of bringing further prosecutions.
However, in August 2020 police announced they were shelving the investigation as they had no further lines of inquiry, and that the case had now moved to an "inactive phase".
Met Police chief Cressida Dick said: "The investigation has now moved to an 'inactive' phase, but I have given Stephen's family the assurance that we will continue to deal with any new information that comes to light.
"The investigation into Stephen's murder will also be periodically reviewed for any further investigative opportunities which may arise; for example, with advances in technology."
Where are Stephen Lawrence's killers now?
Gary Dobson
Gary Dobson is currently serving his life sentence, having been convicted of the murder of Lawrence.
He is reported to be jailed in Gartree Prison.
David Norris
Norris is in prison serving his sentence.
He had tried, unsuccessfully, to appeal.
In 2022, Norris was moved out of Cat-B HMP Garth, Lancs, now he is deemed a lower-risk inmate.
But he was “incensed” by the switch to HMP Dartmoor, Devon.
A source said: “Norris was delighted when told he was being moved to a lower category prison.
But this turned to anger when he was told it was Dartmoor, notorious for being isolated and bleak.
“It is also hundreds of miles from his home manor and hard to visit.”
That same year, an attempt to move Norris to an open jail was blocked by former Justice Secretary Dominic Raab.
Where are the others who were accused of Stephen Lawrence's murder?
Three other men were suspects in the murder case but were not convicted.
Luke Knight
Knight was one of the publicly accused suspects but is free.
He reportedly still lives in East London working as a roofer.
He has two daughters.
Jamie Acourt
Jamie Acourt was on the run in Spain with his brother and was featured in a most wanted campaign back in 2016.
He is now a convicted drug trafficker.
Neil Acourt
Neil Acourt was meant to be serving a six year sentence but was released after serving less than half.
He has been spotted near where the murder of Stephen took place.
Who was Stephen Lawrence?
Stephen was born on September 13, 1974, at Greenwich District Hospital in South East London to parents Neville and Doreen Lawrence.
The couple moved to London after emigrating from Jamaica (separately) in the 1960s.
Stephen had two younger siblings – Stuart and Georgina – and the family grew up in Plumstead.
They attended Trinity Methodist Church in Woolwich, where Stephen was christened.
By the age of seven, Stephen had resolved to become an architect – a career path he never deviated from.
At the time of his death, aged 18, he was studying A-levels in English, craft, design and technology, and physics at Blackheath Bluecoats Church of England School.
How was Stephen Lawrence murdered?
Stephen Lawrence was stabbed to death in an unprovoked attack in Eltham, South-East London, on April 22, 1993.
The teen was murdered as he waited at a bus stop with his friend Duwayne Brooks.
Brooks managed to escape the attack, but Lawrence was fatally stabbed.
The reason for the killing was given in an inquest as a "completely unprovoked racist attack by five youths".
What followed was a years long battle for justice led by Stephen's family and judicial reviews that led to intense scrutiny of the Metropolitan Police
The day after the killing a letter naming suspects was left in a phone box.
In May and June, 1993 police arrested five suspects and charged two, but the charges were dropped a month later with cops saying Duwayne's ID evidence was unreliable.
The following year the CPS again refused to prosecute suspects, despite new evidence being brought forward.
Stephen's angry parents launched a private prosecution against Gary Dobson, Luke Knight, and Neil Acourt, but it failed in 1996 when Duwayne's ID evidence was declared inadmissible.
Fast forward to August 2020 and police investigating the murder of Lawrence said the case had moved to an "inactive phase" after they had exhausted all their lines of inquiry.
However, Clive Driscoll, who led the investigation which saw convicted killers Dobson and Norris locked up, hopes the ITV drama 'Stephen' — that chronicles the young man's story – will encourage other witnesses to come forward.
He said: “I’m hoping this drama will convince someone to come forward with a bit of the jigsaw that we’ve all waited for. Because people are out there who know what happened and I hope they are watching.
“Somebody might watch this for entertainment and realise they’ve got that bit of information which might help. And loyalties do change with time and I hope that their conscience might remind them, give them confidence, whatever it takes."
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