Two arrests over Stephen Lawrence murder
Two arrested over Stephen Lawrence investigation
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By Tom Powell. |  |
Friday, 18, Dec 2009 05:11
By Richard James.
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice in relation to the investigation into the death of Stephen Lawrence.
The black student was 18 when he was stabbed to death while waiting for a bus in south-east London in 1993.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is in the process of carrying out an investigation into concerns raised over the handling of the police inquiries into his murder, which was racially-motivated.
An internal Metropolitan police review discovered material from 1993 had allegedly not been disclosed to either the Kent inquiry in 1997 or the Macpherson report in 1999.
The IPCC is investigating whether this material was considered by the original investigation and why it was allegedly not disclosed to either inquiry.
On Thursday two men were arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice by investigators from the IPCC.
The men include a 53-year-old member of police staff and 62-year-old retired police constable.
The pair were interviewed by IPCC investigators at a central London police station and bailed pending further enquiries until March 1st next year.
The police watchdog confirmed it has been constantly in contact with the Lawrence family and the Crown Prosecution Service throughout the investigation.
No-one has ever been convicted of the murder of Stephen Lawrence with a review by Sir William Macpherson describing the Met as "institutionally racist" due to its handling of the case.