29/04/2013

Police Launch New Stephen Lawrence Appeal

Police in England are to launch a fresh appeal over the murder of teenager Stephen Lawrence.

Sky News said the latest appeal follows the 20th anniversary of the 18-year-old's death in Eltham.

Gary Dobson and David Norris were convicted of Stephen's murder in January 2012, but police believe others were also involved and are keen to speak to witnesses who they have been told were nearby at the time.

They include two men who got off a bus at a stop opposite where the teenager was attached. They also want to speak to a man who was seen walking towards the attack.

Stephen is thought to have been attacked by up to six white youths in an unprovoked racist attack as he waited at a bus stop at Well Hall Road. After an initial confrontation, he ran to Dickson Road where he was fatally stabbed. He managed to run another 130 yards before collapsing. He was taken to Brook Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

During the initial investigation in 1993, five suspects were arrested, but no one was convicted. A year later, the Lawrence family took out a private prosecution, but were unsuccessful. In 1997, at the inquest, all of the then five suspects refused to answer questions. The same year, the Government instigated the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, which rewrote how the police investigated racially motivated crime.

In 2006, a cold review resulted in new evidence being found and in 2011 a new trial was started as a result. It led to the conviction of Dobson and Norris in 2012.

Dobson was jailed for 15 years and two months and Norris for 14 years and three months.

The new appeal will be shown on BBC programme Crimewatch and will run viewers through the events of the night Stephen died in the hopes of jogging the memory of anyone who may have seen anything suspicious.

(JP/MH)


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