CCTV footage and stills issued of witness in Stephen Lawrence case

Officers investigating the murder of Stephen Lawrence are today issuing new CCTV footage and stills and images of a witness they believe could assist police with ongoing enquiries.

The CCTV, which officers have digitally enhanced, shows the man wearing a distinctive ‘V’ emblem jacket which police have previously appealed for information about.

The individual has never been identified and officers are appealing to him, or anyone that knows him, to come forward and speak with them.

Stephen was stabbed to death by a group of six white youths in an unprovoked racist attack as he waited at a bus stop on Well Hall Road in Eltham at 22:35hrs on 22 April 1993.

Following an initial confrontation, Stephen was subsequently stabbed in nearby Dickson Road. He was able to escape from the group and managed to run a distance of around 130 yards before collapsing. The suspects ran off down Dickson Road. Stephen was taken to Brook Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival after suffering two fatal stab wounds to his upper body.

The man was captured on CCTV in an off-licence on Well Hall Road in Eltham at 20:00hrs. The off-licence was 330 yards from the bus stop where Stephen would be attacked later that night.

Witnesses have previously reported seeing a man in a distinctive green jacket with the ‘V’ emblem in the vicinity of Well Hall Road roundabout at about the time Stephen was attacked.

Officers have been conducting local enquiries to trace this individual recently and are now widening their appeal for help in identifying him.

DCI Chris Le Pere, in charge of the investigation said:

“We are appealing for this man to come forward so that we can speak to him to establish if he can assist with our enquiries, or if we can eliminate this strand of the investigation.

“He was seen in the off-licence at 20:00hrs and then again later that night not far from where Stephen was attacked.

“It is important that we speak with him.

“The image of the distinctive jumper was previously circulated to media in 1993 and again in 2013. The CCTV was recently identified as part of a regular internal review of the case. Officers digitally enhanced it to give us the clearest possible image, and having carried out enquiries to trace him, now release it again to make a public appeal.

“The investigation remains open. Two individuals were found guilty of murder, but officers continue to follow lines of enquiry. We are hoping that over the passage of time allegiances may have changed, people may have moved away and feel more confident coming forward.”

Officers will be making further appeals for information later in the year.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room on 020 8785 8310 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.