Lawrence's mother 'deeply upset' by programme

The mother of Stephen Lawrence was left physically sick with shock when she saw the BBC documentary, her lawyer said today.

Doreen Lawrence watched a special screening of The Secret Policeman with family solicitor Imran Khan only hours before the programme was broadcast.

Today Mr Khan told how she had been "deeply" upset by the racism in the programme - and warned that police chiefs were now facing a "litmus test" of their commitment to ending racism.

"I don't think we were prepared for what we saw even though we had been warned," said Mr Khan. "It was pretty horrific and disconcerting. It has deeply affected Doreen."

He added: "You expect it from young thugs in London, not from people who want to join the police force. It shows what a long way we have to go."

Mr Khan said: "It reminded me, I'm afraid, of when I saw the first tapes of suspects in the Lawrence case."

He said pictures of Pc Rob Pulling were "unmistakably" like those of the Lawrence suspects seen uttering racial abuse. The lawyer also warned it raised concerns about the true state of attitudes within the force.

"If this is the attitude of new recruits growing up in an environment of signals about what is acceptable, you wonder what the attitudes are of those who have been in the service for a long time."

He added: "What happens now in relation to these individuals is going to be a real litmus test as to how far senior officers are prepared to go."