Lawrence murder suspect jailed for dealing

One of the suspects in the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence was starting a five-year jail term for drug dealing today.

Gary Dobson, 35, pleaded guilty to supplying a class B drug after being snared in a sting by the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca).

He was jailed for a total of five years at Kingston Crown Court in south west London yesterday, Soca said.

Dobson admitted charges of supplying a class B drug and possessing a class B drug with intent to supply.

He appeared in the dock alongside 62-year-old Stephen Fennell, who was jailed for 14 years for possession of drugs with intent to supply and possessing criminal property.

Dobson was one of five people arrested soon after 18-year-old Mr Lawrence's death.

He was cleared of murder after a private prosecution - brought by the Lawrence family - collapsed at the Old Bailey in 1996.

Mr Lawrence, a black A-level student, was killed as he waited with his friend Duwayne Brooks for a bus in Eltham, south east London, in April 1993.

His killing became one of the highest-profile unsolved racially-motivated murders and sparked an inquiry into why the case was not resolved.