Stephen’s dad: I’d visit my son’s killers in jail
THE father of Stephen Lawrence has said he no longer thinks about his son’s remaining killers being brought to justice.
He instead focuses on trying to stop further bloodshed on the nation’s streets.
In an interview to mark the first Stephen Lawrence Day today, Neville Lawrence said he sometimes cannot even remember his son’s killers’ names. But he said, if it was ever possible, he would agree to meet them in jail.
The day to commemorate the aspiring architect’s life was announced by Prime Minister Theresa May last year. Mr Lawrence – president of the Violent Crime Prevention Board – said: ‘I had hoped my son’s legacy would have been all around us in the buildings he would have designed as an architect but unfortunately he was snatched away from us.
‘With the level of violence on our streets at the moment I hope Stephen’s day will be used to talk about peace as well as to remember Stephen’s life. I don’t think about my son’s other killers being brought to justice any more. I am too busy trying to help the cause of reducing violence on our streets.’
Stephen, 18, was murdered on April 22, 1993 by a gang of racists in South East London as he waited for a bus. The Mail accused five men of being his killers in its famous 1997 front page. Two of them, Gary Dobson and David Norris, were jailed for life in 2012 after forensic evidence emerged.
Mr Lawrence said he would meet his son’s killers in prison if they wanted to speak to him, but he added: ‘I don’t think they will ever approach me. I don’t think they think what they did was wrong. They think what they did to my son was fine because of their racist beliefs.’
Stephen Lawrence Day aims to inspire young people to play an active role in their communities and drive social change. In a video message, Stephen’s mum Baroness Doreen Lawrence said: ‘I’d like you to use the Stephen Lawrence Day to be the best you can be and live your best life.’