'Stephen Lawrence killer David Norris almost unrecognisable at parole hearing'

David Norris, killer of Stephen Lawrence, claimed he had "genuine remorse" for his involvement in the stabbing of the schoolboy 30 years ago at a parole hearing today.

He appeared on the second day of the public parole hearing today, in which some of the UK's leading psychiatrists and jail experts will decide his fate. Norris is one of two men found guilty and jailed for life over the racist attack in Eltham, south London, in 1993.

During the hearing Norris, who was filmed from behind, read a statement saying he was: "Deeply sorry for the murder and with this comes guilt that has been a very heavy burden on my shoulders. I will go to my grave with that guilt."

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Norris said he wanted to "sincerely apologise to the Black community". He claimed he was "a 16-year-old horrible, violent racist young man who had coe so far off the rails" as he tried to explain the reasons behind his behaviour. However, the same hearing was told by panel member Her Honour Judge Mensah that Norris had used the word "n******" as recently as three years ago. An official said after that the killer had completed courses to deal with his racism and that the courses "overall have been successful". She said he had not used such language in the "last couple of years".

David Norris was at first unrecognisable from the swaggering thug who confronted crowds at the Stephen Lawrenceinquiry 27 years ago. Norris wanted to assure the panel that he was no longer the snarling racistthat traded punches and insults with demonstrators in 1998.

Now a 49-year-old with a middle-aged spread, greying hair and reading glasses, he claimed he was a changed man. Sitting with his elbows on the prisontable, his fingers constantly rubbing against his thumb, he appeared nervous as he began giving evidence.

As expected, he said he was sorry after admitting taking part in Stephen's murder, adding that was the "old me, not the new me". And he portrayed himself as a family man who loves his mum who was sorry for his actions, claiming he is not a violent man.

His gangster father Clifford had been mainly absent when he was a child and he was looking for "some sort of love" when he fell in with violent racists as a teenager. Slowly getting into his stride, the father-of-five also claimed he was a victim of "fake news".

As a high profile inmate, other prisoners attacked him and attempted to sabotage his attempts to be released, he said. For a man who avoided justice for so long because of police failings, it was hard to miss the irony when he said he hoped to get a panic alarm if he is released and would rely on the help of the Met if he were to be targeted.

But then we learned Norris has been accused of using the N-word in 2022 and of calling a nurse a "c***" the same year. Prison intelligence reports noted that he took spice and other drugs and was suspected of "radicalising" a vulnerable young prisoner two years ago.

Norris was said to be a member of the far-right group, the English Defence League, along with other inmates who were suspected of targeting the inmate.