London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said Sir Mark Rowley will ask an independent police force to look at the way the Metropolitan Police handled the latest evidence in the Stephen Lawrence murder case.
On the 31st anniversary of his assassination stephen lawrenceThe Met Police issued an apology to his mother, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, and her family over the handling of the latest evidence.
On 22 April 1993, Stephen was stabbed in a racist attack in southeast London while running to catch a bus with his friend Duwayne Brooks.
Last year, it emerged that a sixth suspect was involved in the murder of an 18-year-old boy.
Only two men, Gary Dobson and David Norris, were brought to justice for the crime.
Stephen Lawrence. Photo: PA
Baroness Lawrence. Photo: PA
Dobson and Norris were given life sentences in 2012 and charges against three other suspects were dropped due to lack of evidence.
The BBC named Matthew White as the sixth suspect in the murder in June last year. He died in 2021 at the age of 50.
weather police Apologizes to Ms Lawrence after failing to provide clarification About White’s involvement.
Mr Khan said the force would now have the latest evidence assessed by an independent police force.
Speaking to Sky News, he said: “I had a frank conversation with Sir Mark Rowley today – he will be asking a different police force to look at the assessment made by the Met Police in relation to the latest evidence.
“I am hoping this will reassure the Lawrence family – especially Doreen – that under the new leadership of the Met Police they will redouble their efforts to ensure that the police have learned the lessons of previous years.
“Sir Mark wants a separate police force, which is trusted by the Lawrence family, to look into the Met Police’s assessment to reassure the public that this police service in London now has nothing to hide.”
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On the anniversary of the murder which forced a re-evaluation of policing in the UK, the Mayor of London said: “Today we are all thinking of Doreen and family on the 31st anniversary of Stephen’s brutal racist murder.
“The family has been let down by police officers for more than three decades. Dame Louise Casey found in her recent report that the police are still institutionally racist.
“I think there are some lessons worth learning.”