Officers stopped Lawrence brother 'ludicrous' 25 times

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is to supervise an investigation into Stuart Lawrence's claims that Metropolitan officers have repeatedly targeted him as part of a sustained campaign of harassment.

Mr Lawrence has consulted lawyers over what he described as "ludicrous" police behaviour.

He said he was compelled to act after he was pulled over by two officers in November while he was in his VW Scirocco near his home in Peckham, south London.

When he asked why he had been stopped, one officer allegedly told him they were "naturally suspicious" of him.

An IPCC spokeswoman said: "Following careful consideration of a referral from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on January 9, the IPCC will supervise an investigation into a complaint made by Stuart Lawrence.

"The referral relates to an incident in November 2012 when Mr Lawrence was stopped by police officers but the complaint also alleges an overall pattern of behaviour against him by MPS officers on the grounds of his ethnicity.

"The IPCC will set the terms of reference for the investigation which will be conducted by the MPS directorate of professional standards."

Mr Lawrence told the Daily Mail: "I am being targeted because of the colour of my skin. I don't think it's because I am Stephen's brother.

"Whenever I have been stopped, I have never subsequently been charged with anything, and nothing has ever been found to be wrong with my car.

"I have never, ever, done anything wrong. I have never been in trouble with the law. I have paid my road tax and my insurance, and always tried to keep my cars in a roadworthy state."

A letter of complaint was sent to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe on Tuesday, naming the officers allegedly involved in the latest incident.

The Met Police has long had a reputation for racism.

The McPherson inquiry into the force's investigation into the 1993 murder of Stephen Lawrence found that the Met was "institutionally racist."

Mr Lawrence added: "A lot of recommendations were made by the Macpherson inquiry but it seems that it hasn't made much difference."