A police watchdog today refused to open an inquiry into claims officers tried to smear the family of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence — saying there was no evidence to support the allegations.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission said former Met officer Peter Francis, who says he was told to find “dirt” on the family, had not replied to a request to speak to it.
The IPCC said Mr Francis also refused to speak to Derbyshire’s Chief Constable Mick Creedon, who is leading a probe on officers from the Yard’s Special Demonstration Squad.
However, the IPCC said it will investigate former police chief Sir Norman Bettison over claims he tried to influence the way a witness gave evidence at the public inquiry after the Lawrence murder.
It said his commissioning of a report on a witness to the Macpherson Inquiry into the killing appeared “inappropriate and intrusive” and indicated police systems may have been misused. It will also check if the request was racially motivated. Sir Norman, ex-West Yorkshire chief constable, was referred to the IPCC this month.
Its deputy chairwoman Deborah Glass said that while the allegations involving the Lawrence family were “serious” and “indicate potential grave misconduct, there is as yet no information or evidence to support them”.
She said: “That the maker of the allegations is unwilling to talk to those in a position to investigate means their credibility cannot properly be assessed.”
Scotland Yard has admitted gathering intelligence on protest groups surrounding the Lawrence family but former senior officers have denied any attempt to smear the family.
