Four suspects in the murder of Stephen Lawrence have been ordered to pay damages to Lawrence’s close friend Duwayne Brooks, who was with him when he died and was attacked by the same gang.
A judge at Central London county court has made an order that David Norris, Neil Acourt, Jamie Acourt and Gary Dobson, along with 10 others involved in racist attacks, should pay nominal damages of £100 each to Brooks for assault, conspiracy and false imprisonment.
Brooks sued the defendants in their own capacity and as representatives of one or more racist gangs in south-east London, particularly those known locally as the NTOs (Nutty or Nazi Turnout) in Thamesmead and the Krays in Eltham.
It is the first court ruling against the suspects in the murder case. A private prosecution against three of the suspects in April 1996 collapsed and police have never charged anyone with the murder.
Yet.