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Stephen Lawrence: Killers refused leave to appeal | Stephen Lawrence: Killers refused leave to appeal |
(40 minutes later) | |
Two men found guilty of the 1993 racist murder of Stephen Lawrence in south-east London have lost the first round of their attempt to challenge their convictions. | Two men found guilty of the 1993 racist murder of Stephen Lawrence in south-east London have lost the first round of their attempt to challenge their convictions. |
Gary Dobson and David Norris were jailed for life in January for murdering the black teenager. | Gary Dobson and David Norris were jailed for life in January for murdering the black teenager. |
A Court of Appeal judge has refused to grant leave to appeal. | A Court of Appeal judge has refused to grant leave to appeal. |
Dobson is serving a minimum of 15 years and two months and David Norris 14 years and three months. | Dobson is serving a minimum of 15 years and two months and David Norris 14 years and three months. |
Their applications for permission to appeal were rejected by a single judge who considered the papers from the case. | Their applications for permission to appeal were rejected by a single judge who considered the papers from the case. |
But Dobson, 36, and Norris, 35, still have the right to renew their applications before a panel of judges sitting at the Court of Appeal. | But Dobson, 36, and Norris, 35, still have the right to renew their applications before a panel of judges sitting at the Court of Appeal. |
Sentencing them, the judge, Mr Justice Treacy, had described the crime as a "murder which scarred the conscience of the nation". | Sentencing them, the judge, Mr Justice Treacy, had described the crime as a "murder which scarred the conscience of the nation". |
The judge said the murder was committed "for no other reason than racial hatred". | |
"A totally innocent 18-year-old youth on the threshold of a promising life was brutally cut down in the street in front of eyewitnesses by a racist, thuggish gang," he told the pair. | |
The breakthrough in the investigation followed the introduction of a cold case team of forensic scientists. | |
The men were the first people convicted over the fatal attack on Mr Lawrence by a group of white youths near a bus stop in Eltham on 22 April 1993 but police inquiries into the killing are continuing. | |
During their trial, Dobson and Norris denied murdering Mr Lawrence and said their clothing had been contaminated as police mixed up evidence over the years. | |
Detectives spent months establishing the movements and handling of the exhibits since 1993, and the jury was told that contamination was implausible. | |
In January it was reported that Norris was to appeal on the basis that the use in evidence of a surveillance video was unfair. | In January it was reported that Norris was to appeal on the basis that the use in evidence of a surveillance video was unfair. |
It was not clear what Dobson's grounds for appeal were. | It was not clear what Dobson's grounds for appeal were. |