Lawrence police complaint upheld

A police officer has a case to answer in relation to a complaint by murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence's brother Stuart, it has emerged.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has ordered the Metropolitan Police to bring misconduct proceedings against the officer who followed and stopped Mr Lawrence as he drove home last November, according to today's Daily Mail newspaper.

The Met's professional standards unit has cleared the officer of any wrongdoing but after Mr Lawrence appealed, the IPCC ruled that his allegation is "well founded", the newspaper said.

More than 20 other unrelated allegations of discrimination made against the Met by Mr Lawrence were rejected by the IPCC, it said.

A spokesman for the police watchdog said today: "We can confirm the IPCC has notified solicitors acting on behalf of Stuart Lawrence the outcome of his appeal which was made in May.

"We confirm it was upheld in part and one Metropolitan Police Service officer has a case to answer for misconduct in relation to racial discrimination."

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "The Metropolitan Police Service has received the outcome of the appeal relating to Mr Lawrence's complaint and is considering the IPCC's findings and recommendations."

Stephen Lawrence was 18 when he was stabbed to death in a racist attack by a gang of white youths while waiting at a bus stop in south London in 1993.