Sadiq Khan has urged the Metropolitan Police Service to follow any new lines of enquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence 31 years after his death. The Mayor of London – who is also the capital’s police and crime commissioner – added that Stephen’s family and the wider community need to know that ‘everything possible is being done to bring justice’.
Stephen was murdered by a group of white teenagers in Eltham while he and a friend were waiting for a bus on April 22, 1993. The teenager was stabbed multiple times and left to die on the pavement.
Two men suspected of killing Stephen were convicted of his murder in 2012. A further three suspects have not been convicted.
READ MORE: Eltham locals on life in neighbourhood 31 years on from Stephen Lawrence’s murder
Earlier today, Mr Khan said: “It was Stephen’s mother, Doreen Lawrence, who led the struggle for justice and it’s why she’ll always be an inspiration to me. It was her tireless campaigning, along with the rest of the Lawrence family and their lawyers, friends and allies, that led to the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry and Macpherson report and to the determination that the Metropolitan Police was institutionally racist.
He added: “Today, Doreen is asking why the investigation into Stephen’s death is not being reopened. I believe the family and wider community need to know that everything possible is being done to bring justice for Stephen and it is vital that any new lines of inquiry are properly investigated.”
Promise made to Stephen’s mother ‘broken’
It comes as the mayor meets with Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley today to discuss ‘community relations’ after Stephen’s mother, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, says a promise made to her by the Met to answer questions about its enquiries was ‘broken’.
The BBC says that it named a ‘major suspect’ – Matthew White, who died in 2021 aged 50 – last June and ‘multiple police failings to properly investigate him were also identified’.
A source close to Mr Khan said: “Sadiq is clear that the way Doreen Lawrence has been treated is totally unacceptable and it is one of the key reasons he has asked to meet the commissioner today.
“He will be making clear to the Commissioner that he believes the family and wider community need to know that everything possible is being done to bring justice for Stephen and it is vital that any new lines of inquiry are properly investigated.”
Sir Mark said earlier today: “We recognise this is a particularly difficult time for the Lawrence family. I am sorry our failure to respond in a timely fashion has added to this. On top of the failures over the decades this is totally unacceptable.
“Restoring trust in the Met is one of my top priorities and that includes how we work with those affected by the failures of the past. I apologise to Baroness Lawrence who must have answers to all her questions. I have written to her and offered to meet.”
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