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Two decades after the racist murder of teenager Stephen Lawrence shook Britain, the government yesterday ordered a second inquiry into the role of the police after "profoundly shocking" new revelations.
The Macpherson Inquiry in 1999 found the police investigation into Lawrence's murder six years earlier was seriously flawed and marred by "institutional racism", a finding viewed as a watershed moment in British race relations.
But a fresh review has now revealed further concerns about the police's actions, including their use of undercover officers to spy on the Lawrence family as they campaigned for justice.
It found London's Metropolitan Police had an agent working close to the Lawrence family who passed information to officers compiling the police submission to the Macpherson Inquiry.
The government-commissioned review by leading lawyer Mark Ellison also found evidence to suggest that one of the officers involved in investigating Lawrence's murder was corrupt.
But Ellison said he was unable to confirm or deny claims made by one undercover policeman that he had been tasked to find intelligence to "smear" the Lawrence family after the murder.
In a statement to the House of Commons, Home Secretary Theresa May said the findings were "profoundly shocking" and announced a judge-led public inquiry into the work of undercover police.
"Stephen Lawrence was murdered over 20 years ago and it is deplorable that his family have had to wait so many years for the truth to emerge. Indeed, it is still emerging," she told lawmakers.
"Understandably, many of us thought the Macpherson Inquiry had answered all the questions surrounding the investigation into Stephen's death.
"But the findings I have set out today are profoundly disturbing … We must act now to redress these wrongs."
Lawrence's father Neville said the findings were "21 years overdue", but was not sure he could sit through another inquiry.
"It is very painful. While all this has been happening, our family has been destroyed," he said, referring to his split from Lawrence's mother, Doreen, and his move to Jamaica.
The teenager was stabbed to death in an unprovoked attack by a gang of white youths at a London bus stop on April 22, 1993.
Five suspects were arrested within days, but state prosecutors concluded there was insufficient evidence to progress with murder charges for any of them.
Two of the men, Gary Dobson and David Norris, were finally convicted in January 2012 on the basis of new forensic evidence and sent to jail for a minimum of 15 and 14 years respectively.


Second British inquiry ordered into Stephen Lawrence police after 'profoundly shocking' revelations

Stephen Lawrence.

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Minister describes claim that undercover officer spied on victim's family as 'profoundly shocking'
