Stephen Lawrence murder suspect among ten most wanted UK fugitives in Spain

A suspect in the murder of Stephen Lawrence is one of the ten ‘most wanted’ British criminals thought to be hiding in Spain.

Jamie Acourt, 40, from south-east London, was allegedly part of a cannabis-dealing gang between January 2014 and February 2016.

He was named as one of the suspects over the racist murder of 18-year-old Stephen, who was killed in 1993 in southeast London. Two of the accused, David Norris and Gary Dobson, have been convicted of the killing and are serving life sentences.

The list was unveiled by British and Spanish authorities at a joint press conference in Malaga on Thursday.

Steve Reynolds, Head of International Operations for the National Crime Agency, said: “The fugitives we are hunting are wanted for serious crimes and must be returned to the UK to face justice.”

Chairman of Crimestoppers Lord Ashcroft said: “These people have managed to evade arrest and avoid justice. We know that with the help of Spanish authorities, along with the public in Spain and the UK, we can find these people.”

Here is the list of the 10 most wanted British fugitives thought to be hiding in Spain:

Jamie Acourt, 40, from south east London, (pictured top left) was allegedly part of a cannabis-dealing gang between January 2014 and February 2016. He is 5ft 8in and athletic, with a pale complexion, dark brown hair, brown eyes, and sometimes wears glasses.

Matthew Sammon, 45, from Croydon, south London, (pictured top right) is wanted on suspicion of making and possessing indecent photographs of children. He was arrested and questioned in April 2014, but went on the run when he was released on bail and has not been seen since.

Shane O'Brien, 28, is accused of murdering 21-year-old Josh Hanson in an unprovoked knife attack in a bar in Hillingdon, west London in October 2015. Police believe he has “strong links” to Spain. Another line of investigation is that he may be in Dubai. A £20,000 reward is on offer for information leading to his arrest and prosecution.

Suspected fraudster Mark Acklom, 43, from London, allegedly posed as a Swiss banker and an MI6 agent as he fleeced a woman, whom he said he would marry, out of £850,000.

Shane O’Brien, left, and Mark Acklom

Violent offender Jonathan Kelly, 36, from Glasgow, paralysed one victim in a machete attack. He has convictions for a string of violent crimes including assaults causing severe injury and permanent disfigurement, robbery, and having a sharply pointed weapon in prison. He was also subject to a sexual offences prevention order.

Suspected paedophile Steven Carruthers, 43, from Bury, Greater Manchester, is wanted by Cumbria Police after officers found more than 5,000 obscene images of children, including some being sexually abused, on his computer.

Jonathon Kelly, left, and Steven Carruthers

Sarah Panitzke, 42, from Fulford, North Yorkshire, laundered £1billion as part of a massive tax fraud. She went on the run in May 2013 before the end of her trial for conspiracy to acquire criminal property, and in her absence was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Dominic McInally, 25, from Liverpool is allegedly the boss of a cocaine-dealing gang that pulled in £1.2million per month.

Sarah Panitzke and Dominic McInally

Mark Quinn, 52, from Liverpool, is wanted by Police Scotland for allegedly being involved in a drug dealing gang that made, smuggled and sold amphetamine with a street value of more than £11million between August 2013 and April 2014. He is 5ft 9in and has short, brown hair.

Suspected drug dealer Simon McGuffie, 41, from Liverpool is accused of being part of a Merseyside gang that sold cocaine, heroin and cannabis across the North West.

Mark Quinn and Simon McGuffie