Stephen Lawrence trial: Chilling words caught in Gary Dobson’s flat

  • Secret police recording made 20 months after Stephen Lawrence was stabbed to death
  • Neil Acourt and Luke Knight are filmed making racist remarks in the video

By
Nick Mcdermott

Last updated at 8:22 AM on 4th January 2012

In a scene reminiscent of a horror film, Neil Acourt sends a foot-long blade in a murderous arc through the air.

These shocking images repeatedly capture the then 19-year-old knife-obsessed thug stabbing and hacking at objects with maniacal intent during a secret police video recorded 20 months after Stephen Lawrence’s murder.

The covert recording device, which was placed in Gary Dobson’s flat in December 1994, also reveals the shocking depth of the gang’s racism and their shared obsession with violence.

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Neil Acourt weilds a foot-long knife in this secretly-filmed police footage from December 1994, 20 months after Stephen Lawrence was murdered

Neil Acourt weilds a foot-long knife in this secretly-filmed police footage from December 1994, 20 months after Stephen Lawrence was murdered

Detectives bugged a series of appalling conversations involving gang members Dobson, David Norris, Neil Acourt and Luke Knight.

Jamie Acourt was not there because he was in custody over matters unrelated to the Lawrence case.

Only a relatively small number of
extracts from the police surveillance video were played to the jury,
including Norris speaking of a fantasy of massacring black people and
Dobson’s appalling racist language.

For legal reasons, the trial judge
barred the media from publishing images of the video until the end of
proceedings.

Here, we publish disturbing extracts
and images — not seen by the jury — from the covert video, which
features extremely racist remarks by Neil Acourt and Luke Knight, who
did not face trial for murder.

Later, the video shows Acourt rushing up to Luke Knight in a stabbing movement. For legal reasons, the trial judge barred the media from publishing images of the video until the end of proceedings

Later, the video shows Acourt rushing up to Luke Knight in a stabbing movement. For legal reasons, the trial judge barred the media from publishing images of the video until the end of proceedings

VIOLENCE – 8.55pm, December 2, 1994

Lounging round the flat, Neil Acourt
launches a mock attack on a friend. He then announces they should head
to a pub and get ‘all chivved up’ — a reference to carrying knives. The
gang’s attention then turns to a stun gun in the flat, and they begin to
play with the weapon.

Neil Acourt (NA): I’m bored.

Gary Dobson (GD): I’ve been done the most with that thing, mate [stun gun].

NA: Raise your hands, hands up straight.

Luke Knight (LK): You’re acting like ******* n*****s.

NA: I’m going to give you till three.

10.53pm, December 3

The camera captures Acourt toying with
a foot-long kitchen knife, before he begins hacking the arm of Knight’s
chair in a violent demonstration of how to stab someone.

NA: Put it on something . . . right, and just go. [Acourt stabs the arm of Knight’s chair.] Dig straight in deep, watch.

7.31pm, December 4

With Knight slumped in a chair, Acourt prowls around the flat holding a blade.

Unprovoked, Acourt rushes up to Knight
and leans over him with the blade in the air, before slashing down with
the knife in a mock stabbing, and letting out a scream.

8.18pm, December 5

Once again, the secret camera captures
Acourt pacing the flat with a knife in his hand. He then slashes the
blade down on to the chair cushions, demonstrating to others in the gang
how to cut someone’s face.

NA: If you want to cut somebody, you just put that bit in their face and go [then slashes the air with the blade].

Acourt lets out a scream as he brings the knife down, stopping short of Knight's chest

Acourt lets out a scream as he brings the knife down, stopping short of Knight’s chest

RACISM – 7.50pm, December 3, 1994

Three of the gang are discussing Lottery winners.

DN: Why on earth do old grannies want to play? They’ll all die tomorrow.

NA: Good luck to them.

LK: At least they are white.

Two hours later, and Acourt is hurling
abuse at the television screen, shouting: ‘Black c***, get off our
******* Royal Performances you.’ He then starts toying with the knife
again.

11.46pm, December 3

Grasping a knife, Acourt hacks the arm
of his chair, then strokes the blade. He then gets up and stabs at the
window, before beginning a discussion with Knight about the Sports
Personality of the Year award.

NA: A macroon [black person] better not win it.

LK: I guarantee it’s a macroon. Either Colin Jackson or Linford Christie.

A sickening racist rant by David Norris was caught by the police surveillance cameras

Guilty: A sickening racist rant by David Norris was caught by the secret police surveillance cameras, helping convict him and Gary Dobson

7.25pm, December 10

While watching TV, some of the gang take offence at a Malibu advert.

GD: Look, I think this is racist, this advert.

LK: Yeah, all white people sad and all that.

GD: Yeah, all power station in the background and the n****r all got beaches, sunshine.

LK: You couldn’t do it the other way round.

9.57pm, December 13

THE gang are all listening to music.

GD: Come on, jungalists, black c***s.

NA: What is this album called then?

GD: Listen to this bit.

Friend: A black Christmas or . . .

GD: Yeah, black Christmas, d***heads.

NA: Why can’t we have something called white Christmas then?

GD: You won’t get that cause that’s racist.

Gary Dobson and David Norris went on trial for the murder of Stephen Lawrence six weeks ago. Both men denied the charge

Gary Dobson and David Norris went on trial for the murder of Stephen Lawrence six weeks ago. Both men denied the charge

Gary Dobson, left, and David Norris went on trial for the murder of Stephen Lawrence six weeks ago. Both men denied the charge

ENOCH POWELL 11.25pm, December 3, 1994

While watching the Cameroon national
team playing football on television, Neil Acourt and Knight laugh as
they make racist remarks about the players. They then begin praising
Enoch Powell.

LK: I think it was Cameroon, a *******
n****r country. ******* our presenter, English presenters saying: ‘Oh
yeah, we want Cameroon to win this.’ Why the **** should he want n****rs
to win it when they’re playing something ******* like Italy or like a
European ******* team . . .

NA: It makes you sick, dunnit.

LK: Gets on your nerves.

NA: You rubber-lipped c*** [laughs and
then picks up a knife and stabs it into the arm of his chair]. I reckon
every n****r should be chopped up, mate, and they should be left with
nothing but ******* stumps.

LK: Do you remember that Enoch Powell?
That geezer knew straight away. He went over to Africa . . . he knew it
was a slum. He knew it was a s***hole and he came back here saying
they’re uncivilised and all that. And then they started coming over here
and he knew straight away, he was saying: ‘No, I don’t want them here.
No ******* n****rs. They’ll ruin the gaff.’ And he was right, they *****
have ruined it.

NA: I’m gonna write him a letter.
Enoch Powell, mate, you are the greatest, you are the don of dons, get
back into Parliament and show these c*******ers what it’s all about, all
these flash, arrogant, big-mouthed, shouting their mouths off, dirty,
rapist, grass c***.

LK: Yeah, ******* rapists and everything.

NA: Supergrass thing only took off since n****rs come into the country. It’s n****rs, that’s all it is. Black c***s.

The surveillance camera caught the men discussing how to kill people with a knife

The surveillance camera caught the men discussing how to kill people with a knife

The men filmed were regularly seen brandishing knives and frequently using racist terms

The men filmed were regularly seen brandishing knives and frequently using racist terms

MOCKING THE POLICE – 8.30pm, December 7, 1994

DISCUSSING police detectives’ attempts
to interview one of the gang’s friends, Acourt, Norris and Knight make
fun of the Stephen Lawrence murder investigation.

DN: For some reason, they think we know something.

NA: And they ain’t got nothing still.
The thing that’s making me laugh, they’re gonna be doing it for the rest
of our lives and I’m just gonna be laughing all the way to the Leeds
[laughing].

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

Racist to the core, Life should mean life.

Charlie, Weston, I agree, all the video proves is that they were racists. As far as I am aware, at no point do they mention Stephen Lawrence by name despite being covertly filmed.

Dobson and Norris were 17 and 16 at the time of the murder. Neuroscience in 2011 showed how decision making is not mature until age 20.The brain is not yet mature. And then one would have to take into account IQ which is probably not very great. We berate Iran for hanging teenage murderers but are quite happy it seems to destroy the lives of our teenage murderers when they kill someone the press find particularly sympathetic.There were at least 15 teenage victims in 2011. Are all of their killers to be found and hounded for 18 years?Or will their killers get a minimal tariff because of their age and the victims lack of celebrity and press attention?

This kind people should exist in the planet the act animals.
They don’t have any heart what the got its stones!!!

These two men are a disgrace to this country. End of.

It can be very discouraging to read article after article about hate crimes. One could easily conclude that we live in a world where believing in humanity is futile. I choose to hold on to the people I know, different colours, nationalities and cultures but we are bound together by our love and respect for each other and I know we are not the only ones. There are good people out there and I hope that Stephen’s parents have the opportunity to encounter many as they move on in life. May God Bless you both.

I think a lot of you from outside SE London would be shocked to hear this isn’t shocking to someone like me from this part of London

Makes me feel sick to think there are actually people in this world who are capable of saying and doing such disgusting things.

The only people who think that Norris and Dobson are innocent are Norris and Dobson. The rest of the world think they are murderous scum. I hope they rot in hell.

How on earth can people feel such bile towards one another? I’m glad they are finally off the streets.

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