THE cop who led the hunt for Stephen Lawrence’s killers says he needed to search for a sixth attacker however was informed to retire.
Former Det Chief Insp Clive Driscoll caught the racist murderers in 2012 and was hopefully prices can be introduced towards extra suspects – however he was informed to retire by the Met Police in 2014.
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Mr Driscoll mentioned he was trying into an alleged sixth member of the gang on the time.
Talking to the Mirror forward of the thirtieth anniversary of Stephen’s homicide on Saturday, he mentioned: “I’ve all the time felt there have been strains of inquiry that would have been pursued.
“There was an individual who was saying one thing that could possibly be confirmed, there was corroborative proof for this, he was saying a sure factor.
“Nicely you simply observe that, you don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes. I believe it’s a possible person who took half.
Mr Driscoll added that he knew Baroness Lawrence had been briefed on the state of affairs and that the particular person was by no means spoken to once more.
Gary Dobson, 47, and David Norris, 46, had been jailed in 2012 for the homicide.
Luke Knight and brothers Jamie and Neil Acourt had been additionally named publicly as suspects within the killing however stay free.
Stephen, 18, was stabbed at a bus cease in Eltham, south east London on April 22, 1993.
Mr Driscoll has all the time suspected six youths had been concerned.
After being appointed Senior Investigating Officer in Operation Fishpool, Mr Driscoll and his workforce generated a number of new leads by specializing in forensic proof.
The four-year forensic probe value £3.8million – however secured the convictions of Dobson and Norris.
Norris was nailed when two hairs belonging to Lawrence had been discovered on his denims.
And Dobson was caught when new exams discovered Lawrence’s blood and traces of his clothes fibres on his jacket.
A spot of blood 0.5mm x 0.25mm was discovered soaked into the collar – it matched Stephen’s DNA.
On January 3, 2012, each acquired life sentences with Dobson jailed for at least 15 years and two months Norris for 14 years and three months.
In 2020, the Met mentioned “all recognized strains of enquiry have been accomplished”.
Mr Driscoll revealed the Met had lately made contact with him for the primary time since he left the pressure.
He mentioned he had agreed to assist, including he felt it was his “ethical accountability”.
Talking about Baroness Casey’s evaluation which discovered the Met to be institutionally racist, he mentioned now was the time to take motion.
The Met mentioned: “No unsolved homicide is ever closed. Any info and proof that got here to gentle about Stephen’s homicide can be assessed and investigated accordingly.”
Mr Driscoll was portrayed by Steve Coogan within the 2021 ITV drama Stephen which detailed the horrifying case.
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