IPCC to probe Lawrence case

The Metropolitan Police statement came as Stephen's mother Doreen Lawrence joined a vigil with the family of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed teenager who was shot dead in Florida by a Neighbourhood Watch volunteer.

Mrs Lawrence has been calling for the reopening of the major public inquiry into the circumstances of his death.

IPCC not investigating new Stephen Lawrence corruption claims but checking the Metropolitan Police's own review into whether documents were withheld in past.

Scotland Yard has said that the IPCC will investigate whether allegations of corruption in the Stephen Lawrence murder investigation were not passed on to a major inquiry.

The review was sparked amid claims that a confidential report compiled by the force's anti-corruption command was not disclosed to the 1998 Macpherson inquiry.

Some documents are said to focus on the conduct and integrity of former Met commander Ray Adams, who was involved in the murder probe.

No criminal or misconduct charges were brought as a result of the internal investigation into Mr Adams.

He was questioned at the Macpherson inquiry about corruption, but no evidence of wrongdoing was found.

A statement from the Metropolitan Police about the IPCC's investigation into allegations of corruption in the Stephen Lawrence murder investigation said:

The police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission, will investigate whether allegations of corruption in the Stephen Lawrence murder investigation were not passed on to a major inquiry.

Scotland Yard said it called in the IPCC after reviewing "a considerable number of files and reports dating back to the 1980s".

The review was sparked amid claims that a confidential report compiled by the force's anti-corruption command was not disclosed to the panel of the 1998 Macpherson inquiry that examined the force's handling of the case.

The Metropolitan Police has announced via its Twitter account that it has reviewed files and reports into Stephen Lawrence's murder and police corruption and is sharing its findings with the Independent Police Complaints Commission.