Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Scarlet Howes

Stephen Lawrence murder suspect Neil Acourt spotted just two miles from site of stabbing

Stephen Lawrence murder suspect Neil Acourt enjoys his first days of freedom – just two miles from where the teenager was knifed to death in a racist attack 26 years ago.

Wearing a cap on his shaven head the 43-year-old – a builder before becoming a drug dealer – was picked up from home by a pal in a white van.

The pair loaded up tools before heading off.

Acourt – one of five thugs accused of stabbing Stephen, 18, in April 1993 – was let out of jail on licence last week after serving two years of a six-year sentence for his role in a £4million cannabis plot.

“You’d never guess he’d just got out of prison,” one onlooker said.

Neil Acourt was picked up from his home by another man in a white van (Mirrorpix.com)

'Knife killers took my son's life then stole last precious memory I had' 

“He looked like any other white van man – and they’re 10 a penny round here.”

Police believed Acourt led the gang that murdered Stephen at a bus stop in Eltham, South East London.

He has always denied involvement in the killing.

But police later covertly filmed him miming a stabbing action and snarling: “I reckon every n***** should be chopped up, mate, and should be left with nothing but f****** stumps.”

Suspects Acourt, his brother Jamie, Luke Knight, Gary Dobson and David Norris hit out at furious crowds during an inquiry into police handling of the case in 1998.

Stephen Lawrence was stabbed in Eltham in April 1993 (PA)

Gay people to be stoned to death under horrific new law in Brunei 

And in 2002 Acourt and fellow gang member David Norris were each jailed for 18 months for a racist attack on an off-duty black detective.

Only two of the gang – Dobson and Norris – have been convicted of Stephen’s murder, getting life in 2012.

Acourt’s release comes as the UK faces a surge in stabbings, with at least 41 knife murders so far this year.

Last night a source said: “We face a knife epidemic and one of the Stephen Lawrence stab gang is free to do as he pleases.

“We all know what he said on video about chopping people up.

“It doesn’t seem right. He must have been judged safe for them to let him out – but of course people will be concerned.”

The plaque the spot in Eltham where Stephen Lawrence fell dying (Mirrorpix.com)

Acourt shares the smart £275,000 bungalow in nearby New Eltham with girlfriend Claire Vose, 40, and their young child.

The onlooker added: “He’s settled back into family life comfortably.

“He looked relaxed and happy. You’d never imagine he was linked to the most infamous crime there’s been round here.

“People will be horrified to see him enjoying freedom so soon.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.