Stephen Lawrence killer David Norris claims he's sorry for racist murder
Stephen Lawrence, 18, was murdered by a racist gang at a bus stop in Eltham, South East London, in 1993, but only David Norris, 48, and Gary Dobson, 49, faced justice
The killer of Stephen Lawrence claims he has "genuine remorse" after stabbing the schoolboy to death more than 30 years ago.
David Norris is one of two men found guilty and jailed for life over the vicious racist attack in Eltham, south London back in 1993. He has appeared today on the second day of a public parole hearing, where some of the UK's leading psychiatrists and jail experts will decide on his fate.
Filmed from behind, Norris read a statement saying he was expressing "genuine remorse" for his part in Stephen's murder. Wearing a black T-shirt said he was: "Deeply sorry for the murder and with this comes guilt that has been a very heavy burden on my shoulders. I will go to my grave with that guilt."
He said he wanted to "sincerely apologise to the Black community". Norris said: "That murder 32 years ago should never have happened. I am totally disgusted with myself and my part in his murder especially as he was completely innocent of any wrongdoing to the best of my knowledge. I am also very sorry for his friend. They were only trying to make their way home."
Norris said there were many reasons for his behaviour. "I was a 16-year-old horrible, violent racist young man who had come so far off the rails." Norris said he grew up in the heart of south London where he had to fight off bullies. He said: "We were just kids who didn't see colour." Norris said he would visit friends where he would eat curry goat.
One of the panel members, Her Honour Judge Mensah, told the hearing Norris had used the word "n*****" as recently as three years ago. Speaking after an official said the killer - who remains a Category B prisoner - had completed courses to deal with his racism, the judge said he had also called a nurse a "horrible c***"
The prison offender manager dealing with Norris, who has not been named, said the courses "overall have been successful". She said he had not used such language in the "last couple of years".
The prison offender manager said of Norris using the word "n*****" in 2022 when talking to a female prison officer: "That's clearly evidence that those racist attitudes are still there and that's hurtful." In November of the same year he called a female nurse a "horrible c***".
Judge Mensah said that Norris had this year accepted he was at the scene of the murder for the first time but still denied wielding a knife. She asked Norris' prison offender manager why he has changed his position after 32 years.
She said: "When I've spoken to Mr Norris about it [he said it] was when he watched a documentary by the victim's father. He said that was quite a pivotal moment for him. I think that when Mr Lawrence spoke about giving some form of forgiveness, that particularly struck with him."
Victoria Ailes, for the Secretary of State for Justice who is opposing release, said there was evidence Norris had been attempting to "radicalise" a young prisoner. Panel Chair, Cassie Williams, asked his prison offender manager about allegations that Norris had been associating with a racist gang in prison and grooming a "young vulnerable prisoner into that group".
The official, who said she only took up the case three weeks ago and had met Norris just three times, said: "He denies that claim and says he has no association with any kind of racist group."
Ms Ailes said Norris had used the word "n*****" on October 14, 2022. And he was recorded in prison intelligence reports "making threats to other prisoners" in the second half of 2023, Ms Ailes said.
Stephen, 18, was murdered by a racist gang at a bus stop in Eltham, South East London, in 1993, but only Norris, 48, and Gary Dobson, 49, faced justice. Both were jailed for life.
For 32 years Norris insisted he had nothing to do with the racist murder. But in March it emerged that the crook had confessed for the first time he was part of the gang of thugs that killed Stephen. He is, however, still insisting he did not stab the youngster.
Norris, 49, claimed he punched Stephen in the back of the head after the student dropped to his knees in the street having already been stabbed during the racist attack. Norris spoke publicly on Tuesday for the first time about his role in the 1993 murder to apologise, adding that the guilt "weighs heavy on my shoulders".
But when pushed to name the other killers, he said that in an "ideal world" he would give the Lawrence family "every detail" but that it would put him and his family at risk. Brothers Neil and Jamie Acourt were accused of being in the gang that killed Stephen and have served time for drug dealing. Another, Luke Knight, remained free. All deny involvement.
Under questioning by panel chairwoman Cassie Williams, Norris said he dealt drugs with the people that he committed the murder with. Asked about whether he had seen the knife used to kill Stephen, that was at least eight inches long, during the attack, he said no.
"After the murder, yes, not before," he said. He saw one of the group holding the knife after they fled the scene and were standing near an alleyway, but did not see if there was blood on it and did not ask if it had been used.
The group only spoke about it to say "be careful of what you say from here on in, and it was never spoken about again", Norris told the hearing. He refused to say whether he had been with suspects Neil and Jamie Acourt that night.
"I'm here to take responsibility for me. I can't answer that question," he said. Asked if Gary Dobson, who was also convicted of murder alongside Norris, was there, he also refused to comment.
"If I make a conscious decision to say it I'm in trouble, my family's in trouble," he said. He admitted that his gangster father Clifford was linked to the Acourt family.
Asked about claims his dad had used his influence to protect him, Norris said: "There's never been anything to back it up but that is not to say it wasn't true."
The Parole hearing for Norris is to take place over the course of three days, the first two of which will be in public, with a third closed day on Thursday. The panel will then decide in the coming weeks if Norris should be freed, be moved to open conditions or remain in a closed prison. Norris is due to give evidence via video from Exeter prison, where he is currently held.