The twentieth anniversary of the death of Stephen Lawrence today is a sobering event, a time when his family and the city recall the killing of a hopeful young man by racist thugs. It is a time to remember Stephen himself, a bright student who hoped to become an architect, and to pay tribute to his parents, Doreen and Neville Lawrence, whose quest for justice has been characterised by extraordinary tenacity and courage.
The couple have separated since their son’s death but have been united in their determination to ensure that he is not forgotten and that the police should not close the case. Last year, two of the five original suspects were convicted of his killing. Today, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, speaking ahead of a memorial service, vowed to keep up the hunt until the other perpetrators are brought to justice.
In fact, the murder has had one undoubted effect: the police are now far more alert to the problem of racism, within their own ranks as well as outside it, than they were in 1993. As the Home Secretary, Theresa May, said today: “It is almost inconceivable that a black woman whose son had been murdered would be treated in the way Doreen Lawrence was in 1993.”
That is true, although tensions remain when it comes to the Met’s handling of tactics such as stop and search to ensure it is not reflexively directed at young black men. Sir Bernard has declared that he wants the practice to be much more effectively targeted and there is evidence that this is happening.
And London as a whole is far less troubled by the attitudes to race evident in 1993. The city is even more diverse than it was then and the range of ethnic communities greater. Young people are increasingly blind to race, though alert to the problem of racism. In that, the legacy of Stephen Lawrence and the brave work of his parents have played a crucial part.
Making Mr Big pay
It seems astonishing that, as an investigation by this paper shows, more than £225 million owed to taxpayers by major criminals is effectively beyond recovery. The criminals include fraudsters, drug-traffickers and leaders of organised crime. Of those who are defying efforts to force them to give up the proceeds of their offence to the authorities, some have travelled abroad or have been deported, others have completed their sentences and cannot be compelled to attend court, some have put their money into other names. It is a travesty of justice.
Ministers must act to prevent this. One option would be to make more use of bankruptcy law, which can be effective at securing the return of assets hidden overseas. Tortuous court processes, which become bogged down with repeated appeals after confiscation orders have been imposed, need to be looked at too. Criminals should, moreover, be forced to return to prison if they hold on to their gains, and the sentences in these cases should be far longer. Indeed, there is a case for saying that in the worst cases, offenders should be kept in prison until they pay. Many criminals are content to serve a sentence if they know they can, on release, enjoy the proceeds of their crimes; ministers should ensure that instead they recompense society and their victims.
Marathon spirit
London yesterday showed itself utterly undaunted by the shadow of the Boston bombing in turning out in enormous numbers for the London Marathon. It was a great event: a triumph of the human spirit.
