Doreen Lawrence, the mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, has appealed for witnesses to come forward as a review into the closure of the investigation into his death gets under way. Speaking to the BBC, Lady Lawrence described the review as the 'last opportunity' for full justice for her son, who was killed in a racist attack in south-east London in 1993.
Stephen, 18, was chased, surrounded and stabbed near a bus stop in Eltham. Two men, Gary Dobson and David Norris, were convicted of his murder in 2012, but at least three other gang members remain at large. The Metropolitan Police closed the investigation in 2020, but agreed last year to a review overseen by the College of Policing following a BBC report naming a sixth suspect, Matthew White, who died in 2021.
Lady Lawrence urged those with information to set aside any past reluctance, saying: 'This is the last opportunity that we're going to have to get the complete justice that I think Stephen so deserves.' She also criticised the police for allowing key suspects, brothers Neil and Jamie Acourt, to believe they had 'got away with it'. The Acourts have consistently denied involvement.
The review is being assisted by former Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll, who led the investigation that secured the 2012 convictions. Lady Lawrence described Driscoll as the only police officer she trusted. He left the force in 2014 despite wanting to pursue leads that could have led to charges against remaining suspects.
