BBC Uncovers Fresh Lawrence Murder Evidence

Racist Murder Evidence Airs Tonight On BBC 1 9.00pm

A BBC documentary has exposed fresh evidence on the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence. According to a programme airing tonight, a senior officer in the case is alleged to have accepted bribes from a suspect's father.

The Boys Who Killed Stephen Lawrence, screened on BBC 1 tonight at 9.00pm includes an interview with ex-Detective Constable Neil Putnam, who claims one of the officers took a bribe from Clifford Norris, whose son David was a suspect in the case.

Putnam tells the programme former Detective Sergeant John Davidson had said the bribe was a "nice little earner" - although later in the programme Davidson himself denies the allegations.

David Norris was never tried for the murder of Lawrence, who was killed in South East London in 1993. The Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case against him and four fellow suspects due to insufficient evidence.

Later, a private prosecution against the suspects was brought by Lawrence's family, but charges against Norris were dropped and he never stood trial.

Lawrence's parents have said the revelations in the documentary were "very disturbing".