Lawrence murder suspect freed

Stephen Lawrence was stabbed to death in 1993

No further action is being taken against a man arrested and bailed by detectives investigating Stephen Lawrence's murder, police have confirmed.

He was arrested at his workplace in December and questioned at a police station in Bexleyheath, south-east London.

The 27-year-old man, who has not been identified, was bailed, pending further inquiries, but is not said to be one of the original five suspects.

Stephen Lawrence was stabbed to death by a gang of white youths at a bus stop in Eltham in south-east London in 1993.

No-one has been convicted of the crime.

Soon after the murder five men, brothers Neil and Jamie Acourt, Gary Dobson and Luke Knight, were arrested.

Police frustration

Proceedings against Neil Acourt and Mr Knight were later discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service following a meeting with the senior investigating officer.

Stephen's parents, Neville and Doreen Lawrence, took up a private prosecution against the five but the case against Jamie Acourt and Mr Norris was dropped at the committal stage.

Neil Acourt, Mr Knight and Mr Dobson were tried at the Old Bailey but were formally acquitted in April 1996.

The judge ruled that identification evidence from Duwayne Brooks, a friend of Stephen, was inadmissible.

The failure of the Metropolitan Police to bring anyone to justice for the murder has been a major source of frustration and embarrassment to the force, which was branded "institutionally racist" by the Macpherson report into the initial inquiry.