Stephen Lawrence killer David Norris to sue government

David Norris was given leave by a judge last week to sue the government

One of the men who murdered Stephen Lawrence is attempting to sue the government after he was attacked in jail while awaiting trial.

David Norris says he was set upon by inmates at HMP Belmarsh in Woolwich in 2011, suffering a broken nose and ribs.

He is seeking £10,000 in damages from the Ministry of Justice for failing to protect him, The Sun on Sunday reports.

Norris and Gary Dobson were found guilty of murdering the teenager in a racist attack in Eltham in 1993.

They were convicted under joint enterprise in 2012, sentenced to life in prison and ordered to serve a minimum jail term of 15 years and two months, and 14 years and three months respectively.

Norris was given leave by a judge last week to sue the government.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said: "We have cut our compensation costs by more than £1 million over the past year.

"We robustly defend all claims and are successful in two thirds of cases brought against us by prisoners."

During the Stephen Lawrence murder trial, defence lawyer Stephen Batten QC said Norris had been beaten up several times while on remand in prison.

He told jurors at the Old Bailey that on one occasion his client's nose was broken, his teeth were knocked out and four of his ribs were broken.