BEHIND BARS; Lawrence thugs face two years after being found guilty of race attack on off-duty cop.

Byline: DAVID PILDITCH

TWO of the five Stephen Lawrence murder suspects were behind bars last night for a racist attack on an off-duty black policeman.

David Norris, 25, and Neil Acourt, 27 - who shouted "n*****!" and hurled a cup at the officer - face up to two years in jail.

As a jury convicted them of racial harassment, the thugs shook their heads and smiled. Then shaven-haired Acourt held his hands in the air and said mockingly: "Surprise, surprise."

Led from the dock by two security guards, he repeated three times: "It's a fit-up."

Judge Michael Carroll remanded the two men in custody for five weeks so reports could help him decide the "length of sentence, not the type".

He said if bail was granted there was a substantial chance of more offences being committed.

Campaign groups welcomed the verdict saying it sent a stiff warning to racists and bigots.

Friends of the louts echoed their claim that they had been framed.

But a colleague of victim Detective Constable Gareth Reid, 38, hit back: "Gareth was concerned that as a black police officer it would be made out he'd set out to even the score over Stephen.

"But something about the sheer unpleasantness of what happened made him act.

"He'd never dealt with the men and is honest and straight- forward. Some people would have walked away. He had the courage to stick to his guns."

The prosecution said Norris and Acourt targeted DC Reid for "one reason - his colour" as he walked home from Eltham station in South East London.

The scene was half a mile from where the two racists are suspected of stabbing Stephen, 18, to death with Jamie Acourt, Gary Dobson and Luke Knight in 1993.

Pulling up at traffic lights in their Renault Clio they turned the car around, accelerated and swerved to within 2ft of DC Reid as the officer stood on a traffic island.

Norris threw a drink carton and shouted "n*****!". Then the louts made obscene gestures before speeding off laughing.

DC Reid, 38 - who was not in uniform - told Woolwich Crown Court he recognised the "infamous" men as Lawrence suspects.

But he insisted he had had no personal dealings with them. Acourt, of Greenwich, did not give evidence.

Norris, of Chislehurst, Kent, admitted he threw the carton. He denied yelling "n*****" ", and said he flipped in a "moment of madness" following nine years of persecution.

Outside court, Detective Inspector Stuart Goodwin - who led the investigation - said: "From the start this case was treated by police as a critical incident.

"The fact that it came to court, and the verdict today, sends out a strong message that the police and Crown will continue to work together to bring perpetrators of race hate crime to justice."

Lee Jasper, the London Mayor's adviser on race policing, said: "This tells racists and bigots that when they are caught they will be vigorously prosecuted.

"People often feel too intimidated to come forward. These men picked on the wrong individual."

The National Black Police Association said: "We're delighted that individuals who have behaved in such a despicable way have been brought to justice."

The Commission for Racial Equality, added: "The verdict is another sign that the criminal justice system is now acting more effectively to deal with racism." But Youth Against Racism questioned whether police and prosecutors would have taken the case so seriously if the victim had not been an off-duty police officer.

A spokeswoman said: "In many cases post-Lawrence victims of racist attacks have not seen their cases brought to justice."

Pam Knight, mother of Lawrence suspect Luke Knight, said at her home in New Eltham: "Like they said, it's a fit-up."

Stephen, 18, was fatally stabbed when he and his friend Duwayne Brooks were attacked by a gang of white youths.

Police arrested Neil and brother Jamie Acourt, 25, Norris, Dobson, 26, and Knight, 25.

Proceedings against Neil Acourt and Knight were discontinued.

Later, in a private prosecution brought by Stephen's parents the case against Jamie Acourt and Norris was dropped.

Neil Acourt, Knight and Dobson were eventually cleared of murder after an Old Bailey judge decided Brooks's evidence was unreliable.

Police have reportedly sent a new file to prosecutors asking for charges such as assault, conspiracy to murder and perjury to be brought against the five.

CAPTION(S):

GUILTY: Neil Acourt sneered: "Surprise...it's a fit-up"; GUILTY: Norris shouted "n*****" at black policeman; ATTACK SCENE: Eltham station