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HUNT FOR LAWRENCE SUSPECT

Stephen Lawrence murder suspect Jamie Acourt named as one of the ten most wanted Brit fugitives on the run in Spain

The 40-year-old Londoner is believed to be the mastermind behind a huge cannabis-dealing empire

A STEPHEN Lawrence murder suspect is one of the top ten most wanted British fugitives hiding out in Spain.

An appeal to trace 40-year-old suspected drug kingpin Jamie Acourt and nine others wanted for serious offences was this morning released by Crimestoppers.

 Jamie Acourt is being hunted by cops in Spain
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Jamie Acourt is being hunted by cops in SpainCredit: BBC
 The drug dealer was a suspect in the Stephen Lawrence murder trial
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The drug dealer was a suspect in the Stephen Lawrence murder trialCredit: PA:Press Association

Acourt was one of six youths suspected to have taken part in the 1993 racist murder of 18-year-old Stephen in Eltham, South London.

He is also believed to have been the mastermind of an organised crime group involved in large-scale supply of cannabis.

South Londoner Acourt is wanted by the Met Police and thought to be on the run on the Costas, where his face was emblazoned on a billboard unveiled in Malaga today.

He is described as 5ft 6in tall, of athletic build with a pale complexion, brown hair and eyes and sometimes wears glasses.

Crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers also issued appeal notices to trace the other nine fugitives, who are wanted in the UK for murder, drug running, fraud and paedophile offences.

Among them is smooth-talking Mark Acklom, at large after allegedly conning a woman out £850,000.

The rogues gallery  has been  released in conjunction with the UK’s National Crime Agency to mark the 10th anniversary of the Operation Captura campaign to nail British fugitives in their sunshine bolt-holes and return them to face justice.

It has led 76 fugitives   being captured out of 86 notices publicised over the last decade.

Crimestoppers chair and founder Lord Ashcroft  said: “It has been an extremely effective way of tracking down some of the most wanted individuals who are deliberately running from justice.

 Acourt was one of five youths charged but never convicted of the murder of London teenager Lawrence
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Acourt was one of five youths charged but never convicted of the murder of London teenager LawrenceCredit: Reuters

“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.”

Steve Reynolds, head of the NCA’s International Operations, added: “The success of Captura demonstrates our relentless pursuit of fugitives. We never give up.

“Many of them use Spain as a base to continue illegal activities which still have an impact on the UK, but it is not a safe haven.

“Seventy-six fugitives on the Captura list have been caught to date, along with many more fugitives linked to other operations.

“The fugitives we are hunting are wanted for serious crimes and must be returned to the UK to face justice.

“We need the support of the public to help us catch them. Be our eyes and ears and tell us if you have any information on the whereabouts of our targets.”

 Jamie Acourt (2R, throwing punch), pictured outside the Old Bailey with his fellow murder suspects
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Jamie Acourt (2R, throwing punch), pictured outside the Old Bailey with his fellow murder suspectsCredit: Reuters

As well as Acourt, the other fugitives wanted are:

Murder suspect Shane O’ Brien, 28. He is wanted on suspicion of stabbing 21-year-old Josh Hanson to death in a bar in Hillingdon, Middlesex, in October last year.

The Londoner has a tattoo of his name and date of birth on his back and a birthmark on his face.

He is 6ft tall, slim with grey eyes and short dark hair and also has links with Dubai.

A £20,000 reward has been offered for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

 O’ Brien is wanted for murder after stabbing a man to death in a bar
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O’ Brien is wanted for murder after stabbing a man to death in a barCredit: National Crime Agency

Violent Glaswegian Jonathan Kelly, 36, absconded from conditional release on licence after serving a 16-year sentence for serious attacks,  one of which left a victim paralysed after being hit with a machete.

The scar-faced dangerman, paroled in spite of being found with a sharp object in jail, is also on the sexual offenders register.

He is 5ft 11, of heavy build with grey eyes and sometimes sports a beard.

 Dangerous criminal Kelly is on the sex offenders register
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Dangerous criminal Kelly is on the sex offenders registerCredit: National Crime Agency

Paedophile suspect Stephen Carruthers, 43, of Bury, Greater Manchester, was arrested on suspicion of child abuse images in March.

A computer seized at an address in Ambleside, Cumbria, contained 5,332 indecent images, some featuring children being abused by adults.

He skipped police bail and is described as being 5ft 6, medium build with short brown hair and blue eyes.

 Carruthers is being hunted after police found child abuse images on his computer
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Carruthers is being hunted after police found child abuse images on his computerCredit: National Crime Agency

International fraudster Sarah Panitzke, 42, was jailed for eight years in 2013 for laundering £1billion   but absconded before the end of her Kingston Crown Court trial.

She was a leading member of a network who carried out a massive VAT fraud with mobile phones and is suspected of committing further offences in Dubai and Spain.

The Yorkshire-born swindler is 5ft 5, slim with mousey hair and blue eyes.

 Panitzke was convicted of laundering a whopping £1 billion
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Panitzke was convicted of laundering a whopping £1 billionCredit: National Crime Agency

Suspected con artist Mark Acklom, 43, allegedly romanced a beautiful divorcee Carolyn Woods and charmed her out of £850,000.

The married father promised to wed his alleged victim and  posed as a James Bond-style MI6 agent.

He borrowed 55-year-old Carolyn’s life savings saying he needed to renovate a property and disappeared.

Avon and Somerset Police have been hunting him for two years. He is 5ft 10, medium build with dark hair and green eyes.

 Grifter Acklom swindled £850,000 from a vulnerable divorcee
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Grifter Acklom swindled £850,000 from a vulnerable divorceeCredit: National Crime Agency

Child porn suspect Matthew Sammon is wanted for making and possessing indecent images.

Police seized computers seized from his Croydon home in April 2014.

He was arrested but absconded on bail and is thought to have lived in a camper van on Mitcham Common before making his way to Spain.

He is 5ft 9, medium build and has a soft London accent.

 Bail jumper Sammon is wanted for making and possessing indecent images
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Bail jumper Sammon is wanted for making and possessing indecent imagesCredit: National Crime Agency

Cocaine smuggling suspect Dominic McInally was the alleged leader of a network planning to bank £1.25million every month from flooding the UK with the Class A drug.

Cops swooped on the gang in Crosby, Merseyside,  after they had collected a 6kgs package of cocaine from the continent in January 2014.

But the Liverpudlian alleged ringleader slipped the net. He is 5ft 10 and has blond hair.

 Cocaine cowboy McInally is also being hunted by cops
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Cocaine cowboy McInally is also being hunted by copsCredit: National Crime Agency
 Mark Quinn was involved in a multi-million pound speed empire
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Mark Quinn was involved in a multi-million pound speed empireCredit: National Crime Agency
 McGuffie was a member of a UK drug gang involved in the supply of heroin, cocaine and cannabis
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McGuffie was a member of a UK drug gang involved in the supply of heroin, cocaine and cannabisCredit: National Crime Agency

Speed supply suspect Mark Quinn, 52, had it on his toes after Scottish cops smashed an £11million amphetamine ring in April  2014.

The Liverpudlian is 5ft 9, of large build with short brown hair.

Scar-faced Simon McGuffie, 41, also of Liverpool, is wanted on suspicion of being part of an organised crime gang who flooded the North West of England with heroin, cocaine and cannabis.

He has a heavily scarred right arm and distinctive 2in scar on his right cheek.

Anyone with information on any of the above is urged to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at 


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