Doreen Lawrence, the mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, has branded one of his killers a coward after he refused to show his face or name accomplices during a parole hearing. David Norris, 49, was convicted in 2011 for his role in the 1993 racist attack that killed the 18-year-old.
Speaking publicly for the first time at the hearing, Norris expressed remorse but declined to identify the four or five other attackers present on the night of 22 April 1993. The Parole Board session, video-streamed to the Royal Courts of Justice, saw Norris claim he feared for his family’s safety if he named them.
Ms Lawrence, 72, said outside court: “The only person he feels sorry for is himself ... he is a coward. He refused to show his face. He needs to look me in the eye and tell me exactly what he did and why he did it.” She dismissed his apology as insincere and argued that he remained a danger to the public.
All but one witness to the hearing deemed Norris unsafe for release. Ms Lawrence urged the Metropolitan Police to investigate further, stating: “This person can name the other killers and says he would love to do so. The police must do everything in their power to obtain that evidence.”
The Metropolitan Police’s deputy assistant commissioner, Matt Ward, confirmed that officers are monitoring the hearing and have commissioned the College of Policing to review investigations into Stephen’s murder since 2013. Norris admitted his involvement in 2018 during a confession to a Catholic priest.
