THE former chief of Thames Valley Police could be questioned as part of an investigation into whether police covered up information about the murder of Stephen Lawrence.
Police watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is examining whether senior police officers failed to provide “full, frank and truthful” information to the inquiry more than 15 years ago. Sara Thornton, who stepped down from being chief constable at TVP in April, is reported to be one of the first people up for questioning.
The chairman of National Police Chiefs’ Council, Ms Thornton was part of the Metropolitan Police’s Lawrence Review Team in 1997. Mr Lawrence was stabbed to death when he was 18 in an unprovoked racist attack in south east London in 1993.
His father Neville Lawrence last month made a complaint about former Met commissioner John (now Lord) Stevens over claims he withheld evidence from the 1998 inquiry into the murder.
In a letter to the inquiry, Lord Stevens said no officer or former officer involved in giving evidence at the inquiry was under investigation for corruption.
But a second review last year by Mark Ellison QC found corruption allegations about a detective who worked on the investigation should have been revealed to the inquiry.
The IPCC could not confirm if Ms Thornton would be questioned, but said: “We are investigating whether there was a failure of top rank or very senior police officers.”
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