Two Stephen Lawrence murder suspects on £4million drug-dealing rap

One of the brothers arrested for killing 18-year-old is in custody while the other is ’at large’

Suspects ... Neil and Jamie Acourt

TWO brothers cleared of murdering teenager Stephen Lawrence are suspects in a £4million drug-dealing gang.

Neil Acourt, now 40, appeared in court yesterday to be remanded in custody with five men accused of being his co-conspirators. And magistrates were told his younger brother Jamie Acourt was also wanted over the alleged plot to supply drugs but that he was “at large” and cops were trying to track him down.

1993 murder victim ... 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence

The brothers were among five youths arrested over the racist murder of Stephen, 18, at a bus stop in Eltham, South East London, in 1993. Neil Acourt and Luke Knight were charged with murder but the case was dropped. Two other men, Gary Dobson and David Norris, were convicted and jailed in 2012.


At yesterday’s hearing in Wimbledon, magistrates heard Neil also known as Neil Stuart had been charged with conspiracy to supply class B drugs. Cops are said to have seized 100kg of cannabis worth around £4million.

It is thought that the alleged conspiracy involved men from London and the North East.
Father-of-one Neil, from Eltham, sat expressionless as he was refused bail.

His co-accused included brother Jamie’s father-in -law Lee Birks, 54, of Orpington, Kent. Bench chairman Jim Peters refused all six defendants bail, saying: “This is an ongoing investigation.”
The other accused are James Botton, 44, and Jack Vose, 62, of Greenwich and nearby Bexley; Paul Beavers, 48, of Newcastle, and Daniel Thompson, 27, of South Shields.
All will appear at Kingston crown court on March 2.