The CPS supports the decision not to charge officers investigating Stephen Lawrence’s murder

The decision not to charge police officers involved in the original investigation into Stephen Lawrence’s murder has been upheld by the Crown Prosecution Service.

The CPS said it would not lay criminal charges against four Metropolitan Police officers involved in the case after an “extensive review” which reconsidered whether they had committed offenses of misconduct in public office.

Mr Lawrence, 18, was killed by a gang of racists in Eltham, south-east London, in April 1993 as he ran to catch a bus with his friend Duwayne Brooks.

Only two of his killers, Gary Dobson and David Norris, were ever brought to justice. The CPS said it understood the news would be “extremely disappointing to Stephen’s family and friends”.

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In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Brooks said: “As someone affected by the decision-making skills of these senior officers, I have no idea whether today’s decision or the initial decision of the CPS is a credible one as I have not I saw the report.”

The decision follows an application under the Victims’ Right to Review (VRR) scheme and was carried out by a prosecutor who was independent of the original review. It represents a final decision of the CPS.

In April, Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley apologized to Mr Lawrence’s mother, Baroness (Doreen) Lawrence, for failing to keep his promise to answer questions arising from a BBC investigation into the teenager’s murder.

The Macpherson Report, published in 1999 following a public inquiry, found that the initial investigation into Mr Lawrence’s death was hampered by institutional racism in London’s police force.

Rosemary Ainslie, head of the SPC’s Special Crime Branch, said: “The unprovoked and racially motivated killing of Stephen Lawrence in 1993 shocked the nation and had a far-reaching impact on the criminal justice system in the years that followed.

“Significant changes in policy and legislation followed Stephen’s death and in 2012 the CPS was able to successfully prosecute two men for the murders of Gary Dobson and David Norris due to a change in double jeopardy laws.

“Following our decision in July 2023 not to bring criminal charges against four police officers involved in the first six weeks of the investigation into Stephen’s murder, we received an application for a review of the decision under the Victims’ Right to Review (VRR) scheme .

“An extensive review of that decision, which involved an independent prosecutor re-examining a substantial amount of evidence and material in the case, has now been completed.

“Offences of misconduct in public office were re-examined but the review upheld the original decision not to bring any criminal charges against the four officers in the case.

“We understand that this news will be extremely disappointing to Stephen’s family and friends and CPS have offered to meet with close family members to explain our reasoning in more detail.”