Lawrence murder suspect changed name in Spain
Fugitive now wanted for large scale supply of drugs went under the identity of Simon Alfonzo, say police
A SUSPECT in the Stephen Lawrence murder case changed his name while on the run from the British authorities, it has been reported. He was found heavily tanned and sporting a “man bun” at the time of his arrest.
Jamie Acourt is thought to have spent the past 18 months in Spain, where he was arrested last week. His physical appearance was a marked change from how he looked during the Nineties, when he rose to notoriety over his suspected involvement in the death of Stephen Lawrence in Eltham, a racist murder which shocked Britain. Back then, he had a pale complexion and no facial hair, while his hairstyle was more of a buzz cut.
He was detained as he left a gym in Barcelona as part of a joint operation between the Metropolitan Police, the National Crime Agency and Spanish police officers, who seized a false passport bearing the name Simon Alfonzo, according to a report in the Spanish newspaper El Mundo.
Police sources said that Acourt claimed it was a case of mistaken identity, even after his fingerprints were matched to those on file, before falling silent. Acourt, originally from south London, is thought to have been based in the Barcelona district of Diagonal Mar, where luxury high-rise apartments sell for in excess of £2million, nestled in among hotels and office blocks close to the beach.
He is also believed to have spent time in other parts of Spain, including the Costa del Sol, reportedly posing as an Italian tourist. He is alleged to be a principal member of an organised crime group involved in the large-scale supply of cannabis resin. Acourt appeared in court the day after his arrest. He is not challenging his extradition and is expected to be returned to the UK shortly. He was last seen here in February 2016 in Eltham, south-east London, the area where 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence was stabbed to death by a gang of white youths in 1993.
Acourt was one of several suspects in the murder inquiry, along with his brother, Neil, but both have always denied involvement. Two others, Gary Dobson and David Norris, were found guilty of murder in January 2012 and received life sentences. The Metropolitan Police said last month that, despite rigorous efforts, the murder inquiry was “unlikely to progress” any further.
Theresa May, the Prime Minister, has declared that a Stephen Lawrence Day will be held annually on April 22, the anniversary of his death, to commemorate his life and legacy.
The arrest in Spain was part of Operation Captura, an international campaign targeting the National Crime Agency’s most wanted fugitives in Spain. It has resulted in the arrest of dozens of suspects so far.
Steve Reynolds, the NCA’S regional head of international operations, said many suspects were hiding “in plain sight among the British community and we are determined to trace them and capture them and, with our Spanish partners, arrest them”.
Spanish police confirmed Acourt had been refused bail by a high court judge in Madrid and was in custody.
‘We are determined to trace them and capture them and, with our Spanish partners, arrest them’