Lawrence killer admits role in attack - Parole Board

Stephen Lawrence was murdered in a racist attack in 1993

One of Stephen Lawrence's murderers now accepts being involved in attacking the black teenager, reports to the Parole Board suggest.

David Norris was jailed for life in 2012 after he had denied being part of the racist attack on 18-year-old Stephen, who was stabbed to death by a gang of young white men in Eltham, south London.

The Parole Board issued a decision on Thursday that Norris's parole hearing should be heard in public.

He became eligible for parole in December after his minimum term expired.

The Parole Board report said: "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. He does not accept he holds racist views."

The Parole Board confirmed to the BBC that the evidence considered by the public hearing decision-maker was a dossier mostly formed of reports from professionals such as prison and community offender managers.

Norris and Gary Dobson, two of the original five prime suspects in the murder, were convicted under the law of joint enterprise, which allows people to be convicted of murder even if they did not inflict the fatal blow. Stephen was stabbed twice during the attack. It has never been proven who stabbed him, or whether more than one knife was used.

The Met Police has consistently said that six people took part in the attack on Stephen.

Three other prime suspects – Luke Knight, and brothers Neil and Jamie Acourt – have never been convicted of the murder and have always denied it.

A sixth suspect, Matthew White, died in 2021. He was first publicly named as a suspect by the BBC two years ago.

The Met's murder investigation was closed in 2020. Negotiations are currently taking place for an independent review of the case, which was triggered by a series of Met failings exposed by the BBC.

David Norris was handed a minimum prison term of 14 years and three months in 2012 for the 1993 murder

Norris, who was convicted following an Old Bailey trial, has not previously admitted his role in the murder to any official authority or investigation.

Norris gave a "no comment" interview when arrested aged 16 in 1993 following the murder. He refused to answer questions at Stephen's inquest in 1997.

In 1998 he appeared at the public inquiry into the murder but could not be asked directly about the attack. The following year he gave a television interview to ITV in which he denied being part of the murder.

Norris opposed his parole hearing being held in public, but the Parole Board ruled against him. Stephen's family wanted the hearing to be heard in public.

Peter Rook KC, Vice Chair of the Parole Board, said he had "concluded that it is in the interests of justice for there to be a public hearing in this case". "The compelling factors in favour of a public hearing outweigh the points raised on Mr Norris' behalf," he added.

A hearing date is expected to be fixed later this year.

Were Norris to be released on licence, he could be returned to prison at any time for the rest of life should he breach his licence conditions.