Early damage to Stephen Lawrence case may be irreparable, says Met chief

Stephen Lawrence was killed by a gang of five or six racist attackers in south-east London in April 1993. Photograph: PA

The head of the Metropolitan police has said the Stephen Lawrence murder investigation may be irreparably damaged by the egregious errors made in the first weeks after the killing.

Sir Mark Rowley told the London assembly’s police and crime committee that some detectives had worked to gain some ground but he could not promise that new opportunities would arise.