David Norris, one of the men convicted of the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence, has been denied parole after the Parole Board ruled he remains a danger. The board rejected his claims of reform, citing continued racist behaviour in prison, including drug use, possession of mobile phones and a weapon, and abuse of black and Muslim inmates.
Norris, now 49, was jailed for life in 2012 for the 1993 murder of 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence in south-east London. He had denied involvement for years but later changed his story, admitting he saw a friend holding a knife after the attack. He refuses to name the person, prompting Stephen's mother, Doreen Lawrence, to call on police to interview him.
The Parole Board ruling noted that Norris claimed to have stopped being racist by 2003, but evidence showed he told his daughter in 2013 he did not want black grandchildren, was described as a 'massive racist' in 2017, and was suspected in 2023 of grooming a vulnerable inmate into racist ideology. He had completed courses on racism and converted to Buddhism in 2019.
Doreen Lawrence described the parole application as 'a gross manipulation of the process', adding: 'He was anything but remorseful and remains, in my view, a dangerous racist who should never be let out of prison.' Stephen's father, Neville Lawrence, urged Norris to reveal the truth about the other murderers.
The Metropolitan Police said it remains committed to arresting and prosecuting all those responsible for Stephen's murder, and is reviewing whether new opportunities for justice exist. Three prime suspects remain unconvicted, and a potential sixth attacker has died.
