David Norris, one of the convicted killers of Stephen Lawrence, has been denied parole following a public hearing in October. The 49-year-old spoke publicly about his role in the racist murder for the first time but refused to name other attackers involved in the 1993 killing. His minimum prison term is set to expire in December 2024.
Norris admitted at the hearing that he was present during the attack and punched the 18-year-old victim. He told the parole board: «I will go to my grave with that guilt in my heart» and said «the events of that night 32 years ago should never have happened». However, he denied wielding the knife that killed Lawrence and refused to identify others involved in the attack by five or six men in south-east London.
When pressed to name other attackers, Norris said: «I am not here to discuss other people, I am here to take responsibility for my part in what happened, my actions.» He added: «In an ideal world, I could tell (Stephen's family) the whole truth of my part and others. I can't give them everything they wish as it would pose a risk to me and my family.»
Mother demands truth
Stephen's mother, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, branded Norris a coward following the decision. She stated: «This man owes me the truth and the Met owe me justice.» In a statement read at the hearing, she said Norris «killed my son in the most brutal and callous fashion. In doing so he changed my life and life of my family members forever».
The justice secretary opposed Norris's release. None of the prison workers who testified supported his parole application. Only one independent psychologist, instructed on behalf of Norris, found him ready for release.
Decades of denial
Norris and Gary Dobson were convicted in 2012 for the murder of Lawrence, who was stabbed to death in a racist attack in April 1993. For decades, Norris publicly denied any involvement, gave no-comment interviews to police and maintained his innocence during the trial.
His behaviour in prison raised further concerns. In 2022, he was caught with two mobile phones and a screwdriver in his cell, leading to his return to Category B prison. Prison recordings from 2022 captured him using the same racist slur that was hurled at Lawrence before his death. He also made derogatory remarks towards a female nurse and clashed with Muslim prisoners.
Despite Norris and Dobson's convictions, police believe up to six people were involved in the attack. Three other prime suspects remain unconvicted. The Metropolitan Police ended its murder investigation in 2020, though an independent review of the case began in September following a BBC investigation.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
