By James Simons-
The mother of Stephen Lawrence, Doreen Lawrence, says she will seek a review of the CPS decision not to prosecute detectives who handled the she is “bitterly disappointed” that four retired detectives who ran a failed investigation into her son’s murder will not face criminal charges.
Today, the CPS announced that retired detectives who handled the investigation of Stephen Lawrence will not face criminal charges for their actions in the case.
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That decision has not gone well with Stephen Lawrence’s mum who wants to see the detectives that messed up the investigation into her son’s killers brought to justice.
Two of Lawrence’s killers were eventually imprisoned or life after long delays in the police to catch the killers.
In 1999 a public inquiry led by Sir William Macpherson said the first Lawrence murder investigation was “marred by a combination of professional incompetence, institutional racism and a failure of leadership by senior officers”.
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The Macpherson report was highly critical of Mr Crampton, Mr Weeden and Mr Ilsley for the decision not to make quick arrests – arrests did not take place for two weeks despite police receiving information implicating four of the prime suspects within 24 hours of the stabbing.
In 1997 an investigation by the police watchdog had also been critical, but only Mr Bullock was still serving in the Met and therefore available for a disciplinary process.
Today, the CPS announced that retired detectives who handled the investigation of Stephen Lawrence will not face criminal charges for their actions in the case.
Baroness Doreen Lawrence said her “hope has been in vain” as she branded the Crown Prosecution Service announcement was a “disgrace”.
Stephen was 18 when he was killed in a racist attack in south London in 1993.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it understood its news “may be deeply disappointing” to Lawrence’s family.
The officers were originally investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), but the CPS chose not to pursue a criminal prosecution after considering a file of evidence for nearly three years.
The retired officers investigated by the IOPC were
Detective Superintendent Ian Crampton, who was senior investigating officer (SIO) for the first four days of the murder investigation
Detective Superintendent Brian Weeden, who took over as SIO from Mr Crampton and was in charge for 14 months
Detective Chief Superintendent William Ilsley, who oversaw the team responsible for the first murder investigation
Nick Price, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said that having “meticulously reviewed substantial amounts of evidence” it had chosen not to pursue criminal charges.
He added that the CPS has offered to meet with close family members “to explain our decision in detail”.
The IOPC investigation which led to the referral to the CPS first started in 2014 and looked into allegations of corruption against another officer – John Davidson – who worked on the first Stephen Lawrence murder investigation.
The investigation, which was carried out by the National Crime Agency (NCA) on behalf of the IOPC, followed an official review by barrister Mark Ellison KC, which said there were outstanding lines of inquiry into allegations that Mr Davidson was in a corrupt relationship with the father of David Norris, one of Stephen’s killers.
The claims were made by Mr Davidson’s former colleague, Neil Putnam, a corrupt officer turned super-grass.
Mr Putnam, who did not work on the Lawrence murder inquiry, alleged that Mr Davidson had admitted the corrupt relationship to him. Davidson denied the claims.
John Davidson was told in 2019 that he was no longer under investigation because there was no evidence of corruption on his part in relation to the Stephen Lawrence case.
The NCA then investigated Mr Putnam and passed a file to the CPS to consider whether he should be charged with perjury. The CPS has decided he will not be charged.
The IOPC investigation ended up focusing on the four senior officers from the first murder investigation, and their handling of the early part of the case.
In 2020, the IOPC passed a file of evidence to the CPS, which was asked to consider whether they may have committed the criminal offence of misconduct in public office.
The criminal offence of misconduct in public office is committed when the office holder acts – or fails to act – in a way that constitutes a breach of the duties of that office.
The murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993 was a heinous crime that shook the United Kingdom and highlighted deep-rooted issues of racism and systemic failures within the criminal justice system.
The mishandling of Stephen Lawrence’s murder case by the detectives involved dealt a severe blow to public confidence in the police. The incompetence and alleged corruption displayed during the investigation created a perception that the police were either unwilling or incapable of bringing justice to the victims.
Stephen Lawrence’s murder was widely seen as a racially motivated attack, yet the initial investigation failed to adequately address the racial aspect of the crime. The mishandling of evidence, failure to interview witnesses, and an overall lack of commitment to pursuing justice underscored the racial bias within the police force.
The absence of legal consequences for the detectives who bungled the case raises serious questions about the accountability of law enforcement officials. It sends a message that those entrusted with upholding the law can evade punishment even when their actions contribute to the failure of justice. This lack of accountability undermines the public’s faith in the justice system and can lead to a sense of helplessness among victims and their families.
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