A new report has revealed a heated prison confrontation between one of Stephen Lawrence's racist killers and a man convicted for his role in the Manchester Arena terror attack. David Norris, serving life for the 1993 murder, clashed with Hashem Abedi at Belmarsh high-security prison in South East London.
Prison Confrontation and Parole Rejection
The Parole Board disclosed the incident after rejecting Norris's latest bid for freedom last week. The panel concluded the 49-year-old remains a danger to the public. During the exchange, Norris threatened Abedi, called him a "terrorist," and swore at him.
Norris admitted to shouting at the 28-year-old Abedi when "life got too much one day" but denied using any racial slur. He claimed his outburst was an "offense-based response" to terrorism, not racially motivated, referencing historical anger towards groups like the IRA. The report noted Norris said he had been raising money for the Manchester bombing victims at the time.
David Norris was jailed for life in January 2012 with a minimum term of 14 years and three months for the racially motivated murder of 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence in Eltham in April 1993. Hashem Abedi was sentenced to life with a minimum of 55 years in August 2020 for assisting his brother, Salman Abedi, in the attack that killed 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert in May 2017.
A History of Racism and Violence Behind Bars
The Parole Board's decision highlighted profound concerns about Norris's conduct and attitudes while incarcerated. The panel cited a series of racist offences committed in prison, including throwing excrement at Muslim prisoners while using a racial slur, using the N-word in 2022, and telling his daughter he did not want Black grandchildren.
Further disciplinary issues included abuse towards prison staff, acquiring a tattoo, being found with unauthorised mobile phones and a screwdriver in his cell, and failing drugs tests in 2023. The report also stated there was a "serious possibility" Norris had committed other violent knife attacks for which he was never convicted.
Norris, who converted to Buddhism in 2019, only took public responsibility for his part in Lawrence's murder during a hearing earlier this year. However, his own offender manager suggested this may have been a tactical move to secure his release, a view the Parole Board evidently shared.
Abedi's Ongoing Legal Troubles and Prison Transfer
Hashem Abedi's time in the prison system has also been marked by violence. He was transferred from Belmarsh after he and two other inmates attacked a prison officer. He now faces a separate trial in 2026, accused of attempting to murder three prison officers at HMP Frankland in County Durham using hot cooking oil and makeshift weapons in April of this year. He has since been transferred back to Belmarsh.
The clash between these two high-profile inmates underscores the challenges of managing dangerous offenders within the prison estate. The Parole Board's firm rejection of Norris's release application reaffirms the enduring gravity of his crime and his demonstrated failure to reform.
Norris and Gary Dobson were finally convicted in 2012 after a forensic breakthrough, nearly two decades after the murder that a judge said had "scarred the conscience of the nation." With his minimum term having expired in December 2024, Norris will remain behind bars until he can convincingly demonstrate he is no longer a threat.
