Noreen (L) and her estranged husband Neville Lawrence. Photo / Reuters
Noreen (L) and her estranged husband Neville Lawrence. Photo / Reuters
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The case of Stephen Lawrence, the black teenager whose murder became a catalyst for an examination of racism in Britain, has reopened after 14 years after the discovery of new forensic evidence.
Five men named as suspects 10 years ago are now said to face the prospect ofbeing re-arrested and charged over the killing in south London.
The development follows the use of new DNA and other forensic techniques to match fibres from Lawrence's clothes on the night of his death with those worn by the suspects.
Gary Dobson, 32, Neil Acourt, 32, and Luke Knight, 31, were acquitted of murder in 1996 after the failure of a private prosecution brought by Stephen's parents, Neville and Doreen Lawrence.
Two others, David Norris, 31, and Acourt's brother Jamie, 31, also allegedly part of the murder gang, were arrested but never brought to court.
The abolition two years ago of the double jeopardy laws - under which a person could not be tried more than once for the same offence - means that all five may be charged over the stabbing of Lawrence, 18, in Eltham on April 22, 1993.
Police have received further information from a new witness which could also lead to the arrest of a sixth suspect, whose name was mentioned at the time of the original investigation but was not arrested.
Neville Lawrence, who now lives in Jamaica, described the news of fresh evidence as "fantastic".
He said: "I have never given up hope. I thought those boys would get their comeuppance one day.
"We have tried many times before, but if we manage to get justice for Stephen this time, it would make me really, really happy."
