New tech could help bring racist killers to justice, says Met boss

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Stephen Lawrence Murder Evidence Gets a New Set of Eyes (PA)

New forensic examinations are taking place in hopes of finding a way to bring more of Stephen Lawrence’s killers to justice, the Met Commissioner said today.

Sir Mark Rowley said the development of new technology meant it might be possible to discover new leads in the case and that he would always remain hopeful that further action could be taken regarding the racist murder of Stephens .

He added that a newly appointed assistant commissioner, Matt Ward, was also using a new set of eyes on the evidence in a further effort to find potential leads and that the investigation into Stephens’ murder could be reopened if reasons to do so appeared.

He warned, however, that the egregious failures of the early days of the investigation still pose a major hurdle that may prove impossible to overcome.

He also said the Crown Prosecution Service was set to decide whether the officers responsible for the botched initial investigation should face criminal charges for misconduct in public office.

Describing Stephens’ murder as an appalling crime, Sir Mark told the police and the Town Hall Crime Committee that with any case closed we are always open to new opportunities and new paths.

He added: Right now there is work going on looking at forensic opportunities because technology and thinking is changing, opportunities are changing, looking at all the keys, looking at existing technology and there- there something in there.

It may generate a no, in which case we stay as we are, it may generate a yes, in which case we will consider what kind of inquiry it might generate.

But he warned that although officers have since left no stone unturned to bring more Stephens killers to justice in addition to the convictions of Gary Dobson and David Norris in 2012, the investigation was plagued by shortcomings initially.

The sad truth is that if you do such a poor investigative job in its first weeks and months, you lose evidence, you miss forensic opportunities, you miss witness opportunities, and witness memories deteriorate.

There has been an immense amount of effort over the past 20 years, but I don’t want to pretend that you can always make up for the ground you lost so badly in the beginning. That’s what makes it so egregious and makes mistakes so glaring that they’re not always fixable. I’m still hopeful that we find new opportunities but I’m not going to make any promises I can’t deliver.

Sir Mark’s comments today came during an appearance before the police and the Town Hall Crime Committee and follow the recent revelation that Matthew White, who died in 2021, had been a suspect twice arrested in the murder, which a judge said involved at least three or four others in addition to the two men jailed for the murder.

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