Mother of Stephen Lawrence brands killer ‘coward’ at parole hearing

The mother of Stephen Lawrence has called one of her son’s killers a “coward” who refused to show his face and tell the truth.

A parole hearing is under way for David Norris, 49, who was convicted of Stephen’s murder in 2011 and jailed the following year.

He gave evidence on Tuesday and repeatedly refused to name the other four or five attackers who were there on the night.

Speaking after two days of a public hearing on Wednesday, Baroness Doreen Lawrence said: “The only person he feels sorry for is himself.

“As far as I am concerned he is a coward.

“He refused to show his face. He needs to look me in the eye and tell me exactly what he did and why he did it.”

Norris’s parole hearing took place at a prison and was video-streamed to a room at the Royal Courts of Justice to be observed.

He could only be seen from behind on the stream – it is a prisoner’s choice whether they are seen if their parole hearing is held in public.

Two days of the proceedings have been held in public, with a final day in private on Friday.

Speaking outside the Royal Courts of Justice, Baroness Lawrence said it was been “incredibly painful” listening to the proceedings, but that it was “vital” that it was held in public.

Referring to Norris’s apology for his role in the killing, she said: “He says he’s sorry for the pain he caused me and my family, I don’t believe him.”

All the witnesses bar one, a psychologist instructed for Norris, said they do not believe he is ready for freedom.

Baroness Lawrence said: “The evidence to me is crystal clear. He is not safe to be released. He is a danger to the public and a danger to people like me.

“He was a violent racist and is still a violent racist. He has not changed.”

Calling him “a liar”, she said she had hoped that he would tell the truth during the hearing.

It is the first time that Norris has spoken in public about his role in the murder, having denied any involvement during his Old Bailey trial in 2011.

It emerged during the hearing that he had confessed to his involvement to a priest after watching Stephen’s father Neville in an ITV documentary in which he forgave his son’s killers.

Doreen Lawrence called on the Met Police to urgently investigate after he said he would not name the other killers because of fears for his family’s safety.

“This person can name the other killers and says he would love to do so. The police must do everything in their power to obtain that evidence and bring all of Stephen’s murderers to justice.

“This man owes me the truth and the Met owe me justice.”

Earlier, a prison psychologist told the hearing that Norris is an “unreliable narrator of his own life”.

The worker, who spent around nine hours with Norris over five meetings to assess him, said: “He’s obviously very careful about what he wants to admit to.”

Norris, 49, was jailed for life in January 2012 with a minimum term of 14 years and three months, which expired in December 2024.

He was jailed alongside Gary Dobson at the end of an Old Bailey trial, more than 18 years after Stephen died.

Detectives believe five or six attackers were involved in his racist murder, but only two have ever been brought to justice.

Before he was questioned on Tuesday, Norris was allowed to read a statement in which he said he wanted to “express my genuine remorse for the death of the victim in my case”.

Speaking publicly for the first time since admitting his involvement in the killing, he said: “I will go to my grave with that guilt in my heart,” adding that “the events of that night 32 years ago should never have happened”.

Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Ward said: “Officers have been closely monitoring David Norris’ parole hearing and we remain committed to achieving the arrest, prosecution and conviction of all of those responsible for Stephen’s murder.

“We have commissioned the College of Policing to conduct a review of the investigations since October 2013 into the murder of Stephen Lawrence.

“The review is being conducted independently of the Metropolitan Police and we give it our full backing and support.

“The review is being led by an experienced investigator working for the college and will focus on identifying any outstanding lines of inquiry which could reasonably lead to a suspect being brought to justice.”