Stephen Lawrence murder: will there be another criminal enquiry?

The National Crime Agency is considerating launching a new investigation into the Stephen Lawrence case, 25 years after the teenager was stabbed to death, according to media reports.

Lawrence, 18, was attacked by at least five white youths in Eltham, southeast London, on 22 April 1993, in what has become one of the most high-profile racially motivated killings in the UK. It wasn’t until 2012 that two members of the gang were convicted for their part in the murder.

According to The Guardian, the NCA is considering a new criminal inquiry focusing on the police officers in charge of the first investigation into the killing. The probe would potentially place “four former detectives under criminal investigation for the offence of misconduct in public office”.

The crime enforcement agency reportedly wants to investigate why the Metropolitan Police bosses failed to make any arrests in the two weeks following the stabbing, despite being given the names of suspects.

The officers involved have now “retired from policing and have always denied any wrongdoing”, says The Guardian.

The newspaper adds that the NCA “does not believe it has evidence to suggest the four officers acted corruptly”.

There have been multiple reviews and inquiries into the case, including a 1999 report chaired by Sir William Macpherson that was highly critical of the Met Police.

Reports of the potential new inquiry emerged as Lawrence’s father, Neville, announced that he has chosen to forgive his son’s killers. Making the decision had been “one of the hardest things” he has ever done, he said. “The fact that I had to lose my first child has been devastating. I can’t begin to explain the pain and the anguish me and my family have suffered over the past 25 years.”

But he added: “When these boys killed my son Stephen, they created a legend. In his death, Stephen is a legend.

“There is debate about racism, there are organisations set up to help to make people understand about racism, the police have been put under the spotlight because of Stephen’s death.”

David Norris and Gary Dobson are currently serving life sentences for their roles in the murder.