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Father of Stephen Lawrence urges son’s killer to name others involved

Mr Lawrence said he expects an apology from David Norris ‘for the pain he has caused us’

John Besley
Sunday 23 March 2025 06:18 GMT
David Norris was jailed for a minimum of 14 years in January 2012
David Norris was jailed for a minimum of 14 years in January 2012 (PA)

Stephen Lawrence’s father has urged one of his son’s killers to name the others involved.

His plea comes after reports suggest David Norris has now accepted his part in assaulting the teenager.

Mr Lawrence, 18, was murdered by a gang of racists in south-east London in 1993. Only two of his killers have ever faced justice.

Norris and Gary Dobson were jailed for life in 2012.

Norris, 48, was jailed for a minimum of 14 years and three months for murder in January 2012 at the end of an Old Bailey trial that hinged on tiny traces of forensic evidence.

Stephen Lawrence, who was killed in 1993
Stephen Lawrence, who was killed in 1993 (PA)

He is set to face his first parole hearing on a date yet to be fixed, and on Thursday the Parole Board granted an application for the hearing to be held in public.

In the ruling, vice chairman of the board, Peter Rook KC, said: “After the trial, Mr Norris continued to deny the offence.

“Recent reports now suggest he has accepted he was present at the scene and punched the victim but claims that he did not wield the knife.”

Following the development, Mr Lawrence’s father Neville told the Sunday Mirror: “This man has always denied having anything to do with my son’s murder, but now 32 years on as he attempts to get out of jail, he says he is guilty to some extent.

“Anything he says must be treated with the utmost caution, but if he now wants to tell the truth he should name the others who joined him in murdering my son.

“I would hope that a good detective has already acted on this fresh information and questioned him about this in prison. If this has not happened, I would like to know why not.”

The parole report also detailed “continuing significant risks” to Norris’s safety in prison.

Mr Lawrence said he expects an apology from Norris “for the pain he has caused us”.

He told the Mirror: “I have written a statement about how the loss of my son has affected me and my family and I and hope this will be read at his parole hearing. Is he sorry for what he has done?

People in prison should show remorse seeing as these people have taken 32 years of my life.”

The original police investigation into Mr Lawrence’s death was marred by institutional racism in the Met, incompetence and alleged corruption.

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