Pubdate: Mon, 02 Dec 2002
Source: Independent  (UK)
Copyright: 2002 Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.independent.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/209
Author: Jason Bennetto, Crime Correspondent

CUSTOMS HOPES TO SEIZE LUXURY HOME OF CRIMINAL LINKED TO LAWRENCE INQUIRY

The criminal father of one of the main suspects in the Stephen Lawrence 
murder is to have his luxury home confiscated by Customs officers fighting 
a six-year battle to force him to pay back huge profits from drug trafficking.

Despite being ordered by the courts to pay UKP386,397 six years ago after 
being convicted of conspiracy to import cannabis and weapons offences, 
Clifford Norris, 44, has only paid about UKP70,000.

Mr Norris, whose son, David, 26, was one of the five youths suspected of 
being involved in the stabbing of the black teenager Stephen Law-rence, was 
freed in January 2001 after serving two thirds of a nine-and-a-half-year term.

Mr Norris and his wife, Theresa (Tracey), have argued their mock-Tudor 
house in Chislehurst, south-east London, should not be confiscated because 
it is jointly owned.

But Customs is now hopeful of forcing the couple to sell the property, 
partly because it has risen in value in the past 18 months from about 
UKP600,000 to UKP800,000. It will press the High Court at a forthcoming 
confiscation hearing to determine what proportion of the property is owned 
by Mr Norris. It is claiming about UKP315,000 plus interest.

In theory, he could have been ordered to serve an extra four years for 
failing to pay but a loophole meant the Prison Service was powerless to 
hold him once he had served two thirds of his sentence.

Customs has become frustrated by its inability to claw back the money from 
Mr Norris, despite a judge making a confiscation order at his conviction. 
The south-east London criminal has repeatedly taken legal action to block 
Customs. After failing to extract the UKP386,000 in cash from him, Customs 
won a High Court ruling three years ago to seize the criminal's home.

The inquiry into the botched investigation of the Stephen Lawrence murder 
heard allegations of Mr Norris's corrupt links with police officers.In his 
report, Sir William Macpher-son of Cluny wrote of "the evil influence of 
Clifford Norris".
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