According to a report by the Parole Board, one of the individuals responsible for Stephen Lawrence’s murder may now be accepting their involvement in the assault against the teenage victim.
In 1993, Stephen Lawrence, an 18-year-old, was murdered by a gang with racist motives in south-east London. Although just two of his killers have faced legal consequences, Gary Dobson and David Norris were sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012.
The initial police investigation into Lawrence’s death was hampered by institutional racism, incompetence, and alleged corruption within the Metropolitan police.
David Norris, now aged 48, was sentenced for murder in January 2012 after a trial at the Old Bailey, with a minimum jail term of 14 years and three months.
Norris is scheduled to undergo his first parole hearing, with the date yet to be determined. The Parole Board recently granted a request for this hearing to take place in public.
In the ruling, Peter Rook QC, the vice-chair of the board, noted that after the trial, Norris had consistently denied his involvement in the crime. However, recent reports suggest that he might now admit to being present at the scene and having physically assaulted the victim, though he denies wielding the knife and professes no holding of racist views.
The report also highlights significant risks to Norris’s safety in prison, as he has been the victim of multiple assaults, sustaining serious injuries at least twice, with the latest incident occurring in November 2022.
Stephen Lawrence
The report also mentions that Norris was diagnosed with PTSD in November 2023.
Norris’s legal team opposed the public hearing, citing safety concerns and arguing that Norris might be unable to provide his “best evidence” amidst fears that the media could sensationalize the proceedings.
Stephen Lawrence’s parents, however, are in support of the public hearing. His father, Neville Lawrence, previously stated that while he is not satisfied with Norris possibly obtaining parole, he would accept Norris’s release if he could demonstrate genuine remorse and a change in behavior. According to Lawrence, Norris would need to apologize for killing his son and show that he has genuinely changed before he could accept the release.
