David Norris loses bid to appeal against conviction for Stephen Lawrence’s murder

One of the men found guilty of Stephen Lawrence’s murder today lost his bid to appeal against his conviction.

David Norris, 36, was sentenced to life last year along with Gary Dobson, 37, for 18-year-old Stephen’s racist murder in Eltham, South London in 1993.

Dobson dropped his appeal last month and three appeal court judges have now thrown out Norris’s bid to get his conviction quashed.

Norris was convicted at the Old Bailey in January 2012 and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 14 years and three months, which he has to serve before becoming eligible to apply for parole.

At the Court of Appeal today, his QC Tim Owen failed to persuade the three judges to grant an adjournment and to make an order for funding which would have allowed the defence team to obtain expert DNA transfer evidence relating to what would have formed the main plank of a conviction challenge.

After hearing argument from Mr Owen and the prosecution, Lord Justice Leveson announced that the court was not prepared to adjourn the application for leave to appeal or to grant a “representation order” for further expert evidence to be obtained.

The court went on to declare that the application for leave was dismissed and because of the public interest in the case the reasons for the decision would be announced next week.

Norris and Dobson were tried for murder on the basis of new scientific evidence.




The appeal bid by Norris centred on a claim that his trial was “rendered unfair because only towards the end of the defence case did the full extent of the prosecution’s case on the critical issue of DNA transfer become clear”.

In written argument before the judges, Mr Owen submitted that there was a “fundamentally important development” in the prosecution’s case late in the proceedings, which had not been anticipated by the defence, relating to the possibility of “secondary transfer” of DNA.

Making the application for an adjournment, Mr Owen said he was seeking “a limited representation order” to enable an expert to examine that issue.

It was believed this would cost around £4,000.

He told the judges that there was no funding “because there is no legal aid at this stage”.

Dobson, who was also given a life sentence at the Old Bailey, had abandoned his renewed application to appeal against his conviction for the murder.

Last summer, applications for permission to appeal by both men were rejected by a single judge who considered the papers from the case.

Det Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll who is spearheading the on-going murder investigation said the decision would be relief to Stephen’s parents.

He said: “"Anything to do with Stephen’s investigation is always at the forefront of Mrs Lawrence’s mind and this would have been something that would have concerned her.”

Four other suspects have been linked to the murder.

Anyone with any information should phone 020 8785 8310 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.



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The right decision imo....That lot were quite well known as a menace in the area and whilst i was fortunate enough not to have gone to the same school as them a mate of mine did and they used to shout abuse at him from car windows when they saw him in the Street.

Eltham had never known anything like that at all and i can't remember any murders there when i was growing up there. ..Let them rot in prison for the rest of their lives and i hope that the crown comes up with some new evidence as well so that the rest of the gang can be tried and convicted as well.

philagain wrote:


One of the men found guilty of Stephen Lawrence’s murder today lost his bid to appeal against his conviction.

David Norris, 36, was sentenced to life last year along with Gary Dobson, 37, for 18-year-old Stephen’s racist murder in Eltham, South London in 1993.

Dobson dropped his appeal last month and three appeal court judges have now thrown out Norris’s bid to get his conviction quashed.

Norris was convicted at the Old Bailey in January 2012 and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 14 years and three months, which he has to serve before becoming eligible to apply for parole.

At the Court of Appeal today, his QC Tim Owen failed to persuade the three judges to grant an adjournment and to make an order for funding which would have allowed the defence team to obtain expert DNA transfer evidence relating to what would have formed the main plank of a conviction challenge.

After hearing argument from Mr Owen and the prosecution, Lord Justice Leveson announced that the court was not prepared to adjourn the application for leave to appeal or to grant a “representation order” for further expert evidence to be obtained.

The court went on to declare that the application for leave was dismissed and because of the public interest in the case the reasons for the decision would be announced next week.

Norris and Dobson were tried for murder on the basis of new scientific evidence.




The appeal bid by Norris centred on a claim that his trial was “rendered unfair because only towards the end of the defence case did the full extent of the prosecution’s case on the critical issue of DNA transfer become clear”.

In written argument before the judges, Mr Owen submitted that there was a “fundamentally important development” in the prosecution’s case late in the proceedings, which had not been anticipated by the defence, relating to the possibility of “secondary transfer” of DNA.

Making the application for an adjournment, Mr Owen said he was seeking “a limited representation order” to enable an expert to examine that issue.

It was believed this would cost around £4,000.

He told the judges that there was no funding “because there is no legal aid at this stage”.

Dobson, who was also given a life sentence at the Old Bailey, had abandoned his renewed application to appeal against his conviction for the murder.

Last summer, applications for permission to appeal by both men were rejected by a single judge who considered the papers from the case.

Det Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll who is spearheading the on-going murder investigation said the decision would be relief to Stephen’s parents.

He said: “"Anything to do with Stephen’s investigation is always at the forefront of Mrs Lawrence’s mind and this would have been something that would have concerned her.”

Four other suspects have been linked to the murder.

Anyone with any information should phone 020 8785 8310 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.



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The right decision imo....That lot were quite well known as a menace in the area and whilst i was fortunate enough not to have gone to the same school as them a mate of mine did and they used to shout abuse at him from car windows when they saw him in the Street.

Eltham had never known anything like that at all and i can't remember any murders there when i was growing up there. ..Let them rot in prison for the rest of their lives and i hope that the crown comes up with some new evidence as well so that the rest of the gang can be tried and convicted as well.

I totally agree with you. I remember that first time they left court, seeing how cocky and mouthy they were!!
Well done the Lawrence family for never giving up in their fight for justice!

Cheyanne wrote:

philagain wrote:


One of the men found guilty of Stephen Lawrence’s murder today lost his bid to appeal against his conviction.

David Norris, 36, was sentenced to life last year along with Gary Dobson, 37, for 18-year-old Stephen’s racist murder in Eltham, South London in 1993.

Dobson dropped his appeal last month and three appeal court judges have now thrown out Norris’s bid to get his conviction quashed.

Norris was convicted at the Old Bailey in January 2012 and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 14 years and three months, which he has to serve before becoming eligible to apply for parole.

At the Court of Appeal today, his QC Tim Owen failed to persuade the three judges to grant an adjournment and to make an order for funding which would have allowed the defence team to obtain expert DNA transfer evidence relating to what would have formed the main plank of a conviction challenge.

After hearing argument from Mr Owen and the prosecution, Lord Justice Leveson announced that the court was not prepared to adjourn the application for leave to appeal or to grant a “representation order” for further expert evidence to be obtained.

The court went on to declare that the application for leave was dismissed and because of the public interest in the case the reasons for the decision would be announced next week.

Norris and Dobson were tried for murder on the basis of new scientific evidence.




The appeal bid by Norris centred on a claim that his trial was “rendered unfair because only towards the end of the defence case did the full extent of the prosecution’s case on the critical issue of DNA transfer become clear”.

In written argument before the judges, Mr Owen submitted that there was a “fundamentally important development” in the prosecution’s case late in the proceedings, which had not been anticipated by the defence, relating to the possibility of “secondary transfer” of DNA.

Making the application for an adjournment, Mr Owen said he was seeking “a limited representation order” to enable an expert to examine that issue.

It was believed this would cost around £4,000.

He told the judges that there was no funding “because there is no legal aid at this stage”.

Dobson, who was also given a life sentence at the Old Bailey, had abandoned his renewed application to appeal against his conviction for the murder.

Last summer, applications for permission to appeal by both men were rejected by a single judge who considered the papers from the case.

Det Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll who is spearheading the on-going murder investigation said the decision would be relief to Stephen’s parents.

He said: “"Anything to do with Stephen’s investigation is always at the forefront of Mrs Lawrence’s mind and this would have been something that would have concerned her.”

Four other suspects have been linked to the murder.

Anyone with any information should phone 020 8785 8310 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.



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The right decision imo....That lot were quite well known as a menace in the area and whilst i was fortunate enough not to have gone to the same school as them a mate of mine did and they used to shout abuse at him from car windows when they saw him in the Street.

Eltham had never known anything like that at all and i can't remember any murders there when i was growing up there. ..Let them rot in prison for the rest of their lives and i hope that the crown comes up with some new evidence as well so that the rest of the gang can be tried and convicted as well.

I totally agree with you. I remember that first time they left court, seeing how cocky and mouthy they were!!
Well done the Lawrence family for never giving up in their fight for justice!

....And they thought that they had got away with it until they got rid of the double jeopardy law which meant that they could be tried twice

Well done to Doreen Lawrence for her continued fight..Unfortunately her marriage broke up because Neville Lawrence thought that it was consuming her and couldn't cope with it....Doreen deserves a medal for her fight against racism imo.

philagain wrote:

Cheyanne wrote:

philagain wrote:


One of the men found guilty of Stephen Lawrence’s murder today lost his bid to appeal against his conviction.

David Norris, 36, was sentenced to life last year along with Gary Dobson, 37, for 18-year-old Stephen’s racist murder in Eltham, South London in 1993.

Dobson dropped his appeal last month and three appeal court judges have now thrown out Norris’s bid to get his conviction quashed.

Norris was convicted at the Old Bailey in January 2012 and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 14 years and three months, which he has to serve before becoming eligible to apply for parole.

At the Court of Appeal today, his QC Tim Owen failed to persuade the three judges to grant an adjournment and to make an order for funding which would have allowed the defence team to obtain expert DNA transfer evidence relating to what would have formed the main plank of a conviction challenge.

After hearing argument from Mr Owen and the prosecution, Lord Justice Leveson announced that the court was not prepared to adjourn the application for leave to appeal or to grant a “representation order” for further expert evidence to be obtained.

The court went on to declare that the application for leave was dismissed and because of the public interest in the case the reasons for the decision would be announced next week.

Norris and Dobson were tried for murder on the basis of new scientific evidence.




The appeal bid by Norris centred on a claim that his trial was “rendered unfair because only towards the end of the defence case did the full extent of the prosecution’s case on the critical issue of DNA transfer become clear”.

In written argument before the judges, Mr Owen submitted that there was a “fundamentally important development” in the prosecution’s case late in the proceedings, which had not been anticipated by the defence, relating to the possibility of “secondary transfer” of DNA.

Making the application for an adjournment, Mr Owen said he was seeking “a limited representation order” to enable an expert to examine that issue.

It was believed this would cost around £4,000.

He told the judges that there was no funding “because there is no legal aid at this stage”.

Dobson, who was also given a life sentence at the Old Bailey, had abandoned his renewed application to appeal against his conviction for the murder.

Last summer, applications for permission to appeal by both men were rejected by a single judge who considered the papers from the case.

Det Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll who is spearheading the on-going murder investigation said the decision would be relief to Stephen’s parents.

He said: “"Anything to do with Stephen’s investigation is always at the forefront of Mrs Lawrence’s mind and this would have been something that would have concerned her.”

Four other suspects have been linked to the murder.

Anyone with any information should phone 020 8785 8310 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.



Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/david-norris-loses-bid-appeal-1881292#ixzz2SvHDGUVu
Follow us: @DailyMirror on Twitter | DailyMirror on Facebook

The right decision imo....That lot were quite well known as a menace in the area and whilst i was fortunate enough not to have gone to the same school as them a mate of mine did and they used to shout abuse at him from car windows when they saw him in the Street.

Eltham had never known anything like that at all and i can't remember any murders there when i was growing up there. ..Let them rot in prison for the rest of their lives and i hope that the crown comes up with some new evidence as well so that the rest of the gang can be tried and convicted as well.

I totally agree with you. I remember that first time they left court, seeing how cocky and mouthy they were!!
Well done the Lawrence family for never giving up in their fight for justice!

....And they thought that they had got away with it until they got rid of the double jeopardy law which meant that they could be tried twice

Well done to Doreen Lawrence for her continued fight..Unfortunately her marriage broke up because Neville Lawrence thought that it was consuming her and couldn't cope with it....Doreen deserves a medal for her fight against racism imo.

Oh yes of course, their marriage did break up.........very sad and just another reason why I am glad those bastards will remain in prison!

Cheyanne wrote:

philagain wrote:

Cheyanne wrote:


I totally agree with you. I remember that first time they left court, seeing how cocky and mouthy they were!!
Well done the Lawrence family for never giving up in their fight for justice!

....And they thought that they had got away with it until they got rid of the double jeopardy law which meant that they could be tried twice

Well done to Doreen Lawrence for her continued fight..Unfortunately her marriage broke up because Neville Lawrence thought that it was consuming her and couldn't cope with it....Doreen deserves a medal for her fight against racism imo.

Oh yes of course, their marriage did break up.........very sad and just another reason why I am glad those bastards will remain in prison!

Me too!

Norris's father was a well known gangster in the area then moved to Chislehurst...There are suggestions that he paid off the police and other parents also provided alibies for their sons...Why they haven't been done for purjury is anyone's guess

philagain wrote:

Cheyanne wrote:

philagain wrote:

....And they thought that they had got away with it until they got rid of the double jeopardy law which meant that they could be tried twice

Well done to Doreen Lawrence for her continued fight..Unfortunately her marriage broke up because Neville Lawrence thought that it was consuming her and couldn't cope with it....Doreen deserves a medal for her fight against racism imo.

Oh yes of course, their marriage did break up.........very sad and just another reason why I am glad those bastards will remain in prison!

Me too!

Norris's father was a well known gangster in the area then moved to Chislehurst...There are suggestions that he paid off the police and other parents also provided alibies for their sons...Why they haven't been done for purjury is anyone's guess

I remember reading about that now you mention it.
Well we can only hope that one day the father will get his comeuppance, just as his son did!

Cheyanne wrote:

philagain wrote:

Cheyanne wrote:


Oh yes of course, their marriage did break up.........very sad and just another reason why I am glad those bastards will remain in prison!

Me too!

Norris's father was a well known gangster in the area then moved to Chislehurst...There are suggestions that he paid off the police and other parents also provided alibies for their sons...Why they haven't been done for purjury is anyone's guess

I remember reading about that now you mention it.
Well we can only hope that one day the father will get his comeuppance, just as his son did!

He might have already...I'm not in the area anymore but there was quite a lot reported about them in the local papers as well at the time!

philagain wrote:

Cheyanne wrote:

philagain wrote:

Me too!

Norris's father was a well known gangster in the area then moved to Chislehurst...There are suggestions that he paid off the police and other parents also provided alibies for their sons...Why they haven't been done for purjury is anyone's guess

I remember reading about that now you mention it.
Well we can only hope that one day the father will get his comeuppance, just as his son did!

He might have already...I'm not in the area anymore but there was quite a lot reported about them in the local papers as well at the time!

I think he did get a quite long prison sentence for fraud or something...though he is probably out again now.

Polly Juice wrote:

philagain wrote:

Cheyanne wrote:


I remember reading about that now you mention it.
Well we can only hope that one day the father will get his comeuppance, just as his son did!

He might have already...I'm not in the area anymore but there was quite a lot reported about them in the local papers as well at the time!

I think he did get a quite long prison sentence for fraud or something...though he is probably out again now.

....He was an arms dealer as far as i'm aware.