Stephen Lawrence murder trial: Gary Dobson and David Norris found guilty

Published on 03/01/2012 15:02

Two men were today found guilty of the murder of Stephen Lawrence, nearly 19 years after the teenager died.

Gary Dobson, 36, and David Norris, 35, were convicted by a jury at the Old Bailey.

Mr Lawrence was killed in a racist attack by a gang of youths in Eltham, south east London in April 1993.

There had been total silence in court as the jury foreman of the jury said “guilty” when asked if the four women and eight men had reached verdicts on the murder charge.

Neville and Doreen Lawrence sat separately at the back of the court but both kept their composure and appeared to show little emotion.

But they slowly both began to weep as the results sunk in. Mr Lawrence covered his eyes and Mrs Lawrence was handed a hanky.

Dobson and Norris, both dressed in grey suits, had stood with their hands behind them.

The judge Mr Justice Treacy then asked for them to be taken down to the cells.

As he was leaving Dobson called out to the jury: “You have condemned an innocent man here. I hope you can live with yourselves.”

His mother Pauline called out from the public gallery above: “He didn’t kill that man.”

After a further hearing later today, the judge said he would sentence them tomorrow.

Mr Lawrence’s mother Doreen said she was no longer angry but was always sad about her son’s murder.

In a pre-recorded interview with Sky News she said: “In the early days I would be angry, definitely, but somehow I don’t feel that anger any more.

“The sadness is always there but the anger is not there.”

She said anger was “something that eats away at you and is not a healthy thing”.