Met Police apologise to Stephen Lawrence's mother for breaking promise
Stephen Lawrence聽was killed by a gang of racist attackers in southeast London while running to catch a bus聽with his friend Duwayne Brooks in April 1993.
Monday 22 April 2024 11:13, UK
The Metropolitan Police have apologised to Stephen Lawrence's mother after failing to give information on a suspect involved in his murder 31 years ago.
The force acknowledged it failed to fulfil a promise to Baroness Doreen Lawrence to answer questions about a sixth suspect believed to have been involved in her 18-year-old son's murder.
Stephen Lawrence was killed by a gang of five or six racist attackers in southeast London while running to catch a bus with his friend Duwayne Brooks on 22 April 1993.
Only two people, Gary Dobson and David Norris, were brought to justice for the crime. The duo were jailed for life in 2012.
Charges against the three other suspects were dropped over a lack of evidence
The BBC named Matthew White as the sixth suspect in the murder in June last year. He died aged 50 in 2021.
On Monday, Met Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said the force recognises "this is a particularly difficult time for the Lawrence family and Duwayne Brooks" and apologised.
"I am sorry our failure to respond in a timely fashion has added to this.
"On top of the failures over the decades this is totally unacceptable."
Two witnesses said that White had confessed to being present during the attack. His stepfather was not spoken to by police until 20 years after the murder because officers had previously misidentified him.
The Met Police said White was arrested twice in connection with the murder - in 2000 and 2014 - but on both occasions, they said there was not enough evidence for a prosecution.
After naming White as a suspect, the BBC said the Met Police promised Baroness Lawrence an explanation of White's involvement.
Despite initially speaking with Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Ward, no further update or explanation was given. Baroness Lawrence told the broadcaster: "[White]'s probably the key one who probably caused Stephen's murder, and [the Met] did nothing about it.
"I'm not sure what they're hiding behind, why they can't come and tell me exactly what they knew then."
Sir Mark also said in his statement: "Restoring trust in the Met is one of my top priorities and that includes how we work with those affected by the failures of the past.
"I apologise to Baroness Lawrence who must have answers to all her questions. I have written to her and offered to meet."
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Marking the 31st anniversary of the murder, the mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: "I believe the family and wider community need to know that everything possible is being done to bring justice for Stephen and it is vital that any new lines of inquiry are properly investigated."
"It was Stephen's mother, Doreen Lawrence, who led the struggle for justice and it's why she'll always be an inspiration to me," he added.
Mr Khan added that Baroness Lawrence "is asking why the investigation into Stephen's death is not being reopened," and referenced Baroness Casey's review in 2023 that found "institutional" racism, sexism and homophobia in the Met Police.
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Last year, the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to charge four retired Met officers over their handling of the investigation of Stephen's murder.
Sir Mark said at the time that the investigation into the 1993 killing may never progress because the original inquiry did "such a bad job".