Five summoned to appear before Lawrence inquiry

THE five men named in connection with the murder of the black teenager Stephen Lawrence have been issued with summonses ordering them to attend the public inquiry being held into his death, a spokesman for the inquiry said. "There has been no indication that they will not attend," he added.

Michael Holmes, the lawyer for one of the five, Gary Dobson, 22, said he would attend the hearing. "If he gets a summons he has no option. If he did not he would be in contempt." Mr Dobson, Neil Acourt, also 22, and Luke Knight, 20, were cleared of Stephen's murder at the Old Bailey in 1996 after a private prosecution brought by the Lawrence family collapsed. David Norris and Jamie Acourt, both 21, were charged with the killing but the cases were thrown out at committal stage.

The documents order the five men to appear at the tribunal in south London on 8 June, but the inquiry spokesman said this was the earliest date at which they could be required. Failure to attend or give evidence could lead to a witness being jailed for up to six months and fined up to pounds 1,000.