Stephen Lawrence's pal on council

Thursday, 26 February 2009

By John Hugill

A SURVIVOR of the fatal racist attack on Stephen Lawrence has been elected to a council in a by-election.

Duwayne Brooks, who wrote about the killing in his book, Steve and Me, will now serve on Lewisham council.

The result of the poll for two seats on the council was announced on last week.

Mr Brooks’s fellow Lib Dem, Jenni Clutten, was also elected on to the council, after two of the party’s members stood down in January.

Mr Brooks, 33, a photocopier engineer, was 18 when he saw his friend Stephen set upon by a gang and killed in Eltham in 1993.

Since then, he has repeatedly tussled with police over their treatment of him, and the handling of the murder.

Following his Downham ward by-election success, Mr Brooks said: “One of the first things I want to do is see how we can deal with these high levels of crime.

“Hopefully, I can be seen as a councillor first, and not for the other things in my past.

“My election should make it easier for some people to come forward to me with problems like that because they will know about my past.”

Councillor Clutten, 21, who studies politics at Goldsmiths College in New Cross, will be one of the country’s youngest councillors.

She said: “I’m really passionate about the issue of young people.

“I will be looking to get on to a committee to get involved in that.”

Lib Dem group leader Councillor Chris Maines said: “I am excited by the qualities of Jenni and Duwayne - they are hard working and enthusiastic.”

The hotly-contested by-election had presented Labour with the opportunity to regain the majority on the council, which it lost in 2006.

Labour’s Damien Egan came third behind the Lib Dems, with 655 votes.

Conservative Christine Allison came fourth with 654 votes.

Email: john.hugill@slp.co.uk

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