Stephen Lawrence killer David Norris used N-word while in jail for racist murder

The vile racist who murdered Stephen Lawrence continued to use hateful slurs while locked up for the killing.

David Norris - who was jailed for life for stabbing the schoolboy to death in Eltham in 1993 - has appeared at the start of a three-day public parole hearing. Norris is being interrogated by a panel of some of the UK's leading psychiatrists and jail experts.

Her Honour Judge Mensah, one of the panel members, told the hearing Norris had used the word "n*****" as recently as three years ago.

Speaking after an official said the killer - who remains a Category B prisoner - had completed courses to deal with his racism, the judge said he had also called a nurse a "horrible c***"

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The prison offender manager dealing with Norris, who has not been named, said the courses "overall have been successful". She said he had not used such language in the "last couple of years".

The prison offender manager said of Norris using the word "n*****" in 2022 when talking to a female prison officer: "That's clearly evidence that those racist attitudes are still there and that's hurtful." In November of the same year he called a female nurse a "horrible c***".

Judge Mensah said that Norris had this year accepted he was at the scene of the murder for the first time but still denied wielding a knife. She asked Norris' prison offender manager why he has changed his position after 32 years.

She said: "When I've spoken to Mr Norris about it [he said it] was when he watched a documentary by the victim's father. He said that was quite a pivotal moment for him. I think that when Mr Lawrence spoke about giving some form of forgiveness, that particularly struck with him."

Victoria Ailes, for the Secretary of State for Justice who is opposing release, said there was evidence Norris had been attempting to "radicalise" a young prisoner.

Panel Chair, Cassie Williams, asked his prison offender manager about allegations that Norris had been associating with a racist gang in prison and grooming a "young vulnerable prisoner into that group".

The official, who said she only took up the case three weeks ago and had met Norris just three times, said: "He denies that claim and says he has no association with any kind of racist group."

Ms Ailes said Norris had used the word "n*****" on October 14, 2022.

And he was recorded in prison intelligence reports "making threats to other prisoners" in the second half of 2023, Ms Ailes said.

The hearing is to take place over the course of three days, the first two of which will be in public, with a third closed day on Thursday. The panel will then decide in the coming weeks if Norris should be freed, be moved to open conditions or remain in a closed prison. Norris is due to give evidence via video from Exeter prison, where he is currently held.

Stephen's father Neville Lawrence and mother Baroness Doreen Lawrence are expected to watch his evidence.

Stephen, 18, was murdered by a racist gang at a bus stop in Eltham, South East London, in 1993, but only Norris, 48, and Gary Dobson, 49, faced justice. Both were jailed for life.

For 32 years Norris insisted he had nothing to do with the racist murder. But in March it emerged that the crook had confessed for the first time he was part of the gang of thugs that killed Stephen. He is, however, still insisting he did not stab the youngster.

A Parole Board report said: "After the trial, Mr Norris continued to deny the offence. Recent reports now suggest he has accepted he was present at the scene and punched the victim but claims that he did not wield the knife. He does not accept he holds racist views."

Neville this year revealed he would accept Norris' release if he finally admits to the crime and says sorry for the devastation he caused the Lawrence family.

He said in January: "He would have to say he was sorry for killing Stephen and that he had changed his ways and apologise to our family [for me to accept his release]. I am not satisfied with him getting parole but what I am saying is if he can show remorse and show that he's changed then I will accept that."

Filmed from behind today, Norris read a statement saying he was expressing "genuine remorse" for his part in Stephen's murder.

Wearing a black T-shirt said he was: "Deeply sorry for the murder and with this comes guilt that has been a very heavy burden on my shoulders. I will go to my grave with that guilt." He said he wanted to "sincerely apologise to the Black community".

Norris said: "That murder 32 years ago should never have happened. I am totally disgusted with myself and my part in his murder especially as he was completely innocent of any wrongdoing to the best of my knowledge. I am also very sorry for his friend. They were only trying to make their way home."

Norris said there were many reasons for his behaviour. "I was a 16-year-old horrible, violent racist young man who had come so far off the rails."

Norris said he grew up in the heart of south London where he had to fight off bullies. He said: "We were just kids who didn't see colour." Norris said he would visit friends where he would eat curry goat.

Norris was jailed for a minimum 14 years and three months which, due to time spent on remand, is nearly up. His lawyers had opposed the move to have the parole hearing in public, claiming it would not allow him to do "justice to himself in his evidence". But the application from the media was backed by Neville and by Stephen's campaigning mother Doreen.

Norris told his Old Bailey trial he had forgotten where he was on the night of budding architect Stephen's murder in Eltham. His mother Theresa Norris was accused of inventing a false alibi by telling the jury her son was at home that night.

Norris was repeatedly asked by prosecutor Mark Ellison QC what he had been doing when the teenager was killed. He replied: "You are accusing me of murder. I am an innocent man."

At the time of the horrific attack by up to six thugs, Norris was 16 and living with his mum and gangster dad Clifford in Chislehurst, Kent. He was later captured in a police surveillance video using extreme racist language to describe how he would kill black people, those of Pakistani origin and police.

Norris said in a clip shown at his trial: "I'd go down Catford [in South East London] and places like that, I am telling you now, with two sub-machine guns."

Talking about torturing a black person and setting them alight, he added: "I'd blow their two arms and legs off and say, 'Go on, you can swim home now'."

The Parole Board report reveals how Norris still faces "continuing significant risks" to his safety in prison after being attacked three times by inmates. He was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder in November 2023, the document reveals .

Norris was caught in 2022 taking selfies on a mobile phone in prison and bragging he would be free in two years. In a social media post apparently sent from jail, the thug - whose nickname is "Nozza" - wrote that he was "buzzing" after learning he would be up for parole. He added: "Get that PLEA Dad party sorted girls 'cos I [will] be there soon. Eye Eye the man's bk [back] in town."

The father of Stephen Lawrence has called for one of his killers to remain in jail in a moving victim impact statement read at his parole hearing.

A legal representative read out Neville Lawrence's words as David Norris made a bid for freedom on Tuesday. Referring to Norris finally admitting earlier this year that he attacked Stephen, Mr Lawrence said: "He has only made this admission in advance of this hearing and he has not offered to help the police bring the other murderers to justice."

Mr Lawrence said he would not feel "justice had been done" if the panel directed Norris to be released because he had not shown "genuine remorse".

Recalling the last moments that he saw his son alive on the morning of his death on April 22, 1993, Stephen said "see ya" and asked if he was OK before he left the house. He said: "Maybe I had a premonition. I wish more than anything he had come straight home".

Mr Lawrence recalled the moment that he was told that his son had died. "I was taken to see my son's body, he looked like he was sleeping. I do not remember if I kissed him goodbye."

Mr Lawrence said it took more than 18 years before Norris and Gary Dobson were brought to justice, adding that his life was "consumed by seeking justice for Stephen".

He said that at times he did not think he would survive and he was forced to move abroad because he did not feel safe in the UK.

He added that Norris's admission that he was at the scene ahead of proceedings "did not come from genuine remorse" as he is yet to name the other members of the gang.

The parole hearing is taking place in a prison with a video feed streamed to a room in the Royal Courts of Justice. Norris was convicted in late 2011 and jailed in January 2012 for life with a minimum term of 14 years and three months, which expired in December 2024. Stephen Lawrence's mother has said that Norris has shown no "humanity" as she said he should not be released.

Lawyer Imran Khan, reading a statement on behalf of Baroness Doreen Lawrence, said that her son was murdered in a "brutal and callous fashion" which changed the lives of her and her family.

Refusing to name Norris, Lady Lawrence said Norris showed "no hint of empathy for what me and my family have gone through" and that she wants "answers" about what happened to her son.

Her statement said that Norris has shown no "acceptance", "contrition" or "humanity", that she cannot forgive him and that he is a "danger" to the public.

After quoting a racist statement made by Norris when he was secretly recorded by police, she said: "Any person who expresses views like this and does not recant is an obvious danger to society and must remain in custody. This is what I want to happen."

Lawyer Imran Khan read a statement on behalf of Stephen Lawrence's brother, Stuart, in which he said his pain has been made worse by the killers' lack of acknowledgement of what they did.

Referring to David Norris, he said: "This individual is fully aware of the truth, but has deliberately chosen to lie and remain silent. If you have any uncertainties, I strongly encourage you to keep this individual in his current situation until he is ready to reveal the truth."

Mr Khan also read a statement from Stephen's mother, Doreen, who said that the killers were "murderous thugs", and that she had battled for decades for justice for her son. "I never wanted the attention or the publicity, but I was forced to do so."

Baroness Lawrence said she was "harassed and vilified" by members of the public who applauded what the racist killers had done. She was left fearing for her safety and repeatedly moved house after her son was murdered.

The hearing continues.