Stephen Lawrence murderer's prison phone selfies investigated

Prison authorities began investigating shortly after news of the images emerged

One of Stephen Lawrence's murderers is being investigated over claims he had an illegal phone in prison.

David Norris has been accused of taking selfies and bragging he will be free in two years when he can apply for parole.

The 46-year-old and Gary Dobson, 47, are both serving life after being jailed in 2012 for murdering the 18-year-old black teenager in Eltham, south-east London in April 1993.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said it was investigating.

The BBC understands it is conducting "thorough searches" of Norris's cell at HMP Dartmoor in Devon and is "working to have any social media accounts potentially linked" with him shut down.

Until the investigation is concluded Norris will be placed on report, it is understood.

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The Daily Mail first reported that Norris had obtained the smartphone and claimed former justice secretary Dominic Raab was powerless to stop him getting parole.

It came after Mr Raab denied his application to move to an open prison in May amid fears he still posed a risk to the public.

In a social media post apparently sent from prison, Norris - whose nickname is "Nozza" - wrote that he was "buzzing" after the High Court had agreed to grant him parole in two years.

Stephen Lawrence was stabbed to death in south east London in 1993

He added: "Get that party sorted girls 'cos I [will] be there soon. Eye Eye the man's bk [back] in town."

Prison rules forbid inmates from having mobile phones in their cells and breaches can result in sentences being extended by up to two years.

When they were both jailed, Dobson was ordered to serve a minimum of 15 years and two months, while Norris must spend at least 14 years and three months behind bars.

Five men were initially arrested over the racist murder of the A-level student. After a long-running campaign, police eventually charged the pair with Stephen's murder although questions about the involvement of others still remain.

A spokesman for the MoJ said: "We do not tolerate illicit phones in jail and prisoners found with them should expect to face longer behind bars.

"We have invested £125m in tougher prison security measures - including X-ray body scanners that have intercepted over 20,000 attempts to smuggle contraband behind bars in the past two years."

The BBC has contacted the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation for comment.

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