'Please come forward,' Stephen Lawrence's mum says to witnesses as review begins
As an official inquiry triggered by a BBC probe, Stephen Lawrence's mother has pleaded with witnesses to come forward with details about her son's murder. Baroness Doreen Lawrence told BBC News that this was the last chance
for complete justice, and that she will not be able to grieve until it is achieved. Investigators with the College of Policing are looking at reports obtained by the Metropolitan Police to determine any unsolved lines of investigation. The investigation was being conducted independently of the Met Police,
the College said in a tweet.
Baroness Lawrence told the BBC that she hoped that people who have information about the assassination would now be able to talk. They wanted to do it at the time,
she said.
I would like to ask them, whatever they felt at the time, or whatever happened if they tried to assist, please come forward now.This is going to be the last chance for us to get the complete justice that Stephen so richly deserves.
Following a series of BBC news that had publically named a sixth suspect in the assassination of a six people in the murder, a string of police mistakes surfaced, prompting Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley's apology to Baroness Lawrence for breaching the force's promises. A long process of negotiations followed over what the report would include, with the Met dropping a string of key requests from the Lawrence family, including the complete involvement of Clive Driscoll, the former Met detective who received two murder convictions in the case. Mr Driscoll was suspended as the Met's senior investigating officer by the Met in 2014 before he could complete his probe. The investigation team will be led by a recently retired senior detective who worked outside of the Met.
It will determine if any lines of inquiry were missed, not pursued properly, or require a fresh approach. The BBC's news coverage would be one of the investigation's key areas of interest. If viable lines of inquiry are found, they will be submitted to an independent investigative body.
Institutionally racist
Stephen was 18 when he was stabbed to death in an racial attack in Eltham, south London, in April 1993. He and his companion, Duwayne Brooks, were waiting for a bus, but there were six attackers on board. By a historic public inquiry, the Met's inability to properly investigate the five prime suspects in the investigation became well-known, leading to the force being branded
been sitting quite well.inherently racist. In 2012, two of Stephen's murderers were finally found, but the other suspects have remained free. In 2020, the murder probe was concluded, with the Met saying that everything possible had been done. Baroness Lawrence told the BBC that key defendants, brothers Neil and Jamie Acourt, have
They believe they've gotten away with it,she said,
It's been going on for 32 years, and we haven't come to an end of it,and the police have encouraged them to believe they have got away with the idea that they're not. The Acourt brothers have never denied being complicit in the shooting. Matthew White, the sixth suspect who died in 2021 and exposed a string of Met miscommunications relating to him, was identified two years ago. Evidence that supports White also implicates the principal suspects.
Baroness Lawrence said.Most people have come to the end, and [are] allowed to grieve in private. We haven't been given that opportunity.
The investigation is being led by an experienced investigator at the College and will concentrate on finding any remaining lines of inquiry that could properly lead to the arrest of a suspect. [contact redacted]: "The research team can be reached at [contact information].The Met's stated aim is to ensure the arrest, trial, and conviction of all of those responsible for Stephen's murder.
