The mother of one of the men on trial over the murder of Stephen Lawrence has been accused of "making up" an alibi for her son.

Mother accused of providing fake alibi (Reuters)

Prosecutor Mark Ellison QC suggested to Theresa Norris that she had invented the story that her son David was at home when Stephen Lawrence was killed in 1993.

He told the Old Bailey jury that this was "the first we've heard" of any suggestion that Mrs Norris could provide an alibi for her son, and as a result he suggested it was made up.

Mr Ellison said: "I suggest to you...you have made it up and it's a recent thing that you have made it up."

In response, Mrs Norris protested: "I haven't made nothing up."

Mr Ellison said: "There's not been a breath uttered until today that you were in a position to give your son an alibi."

Mrs Norris answered: "My son would have been at home."

I'm not an angel, never have been an angel, but I'm also not a murderer. David Norris

She said that her routine at the time meant her son, now 35, would have been home, because his curfew was 9pm or 9.30pm.

However, when David Norris was interviewed by police in the wake of Mr Lawrence's death, his mother did not tell them at the time that she could provide an alibi.

She told the court on Thursday: "I was advised by a legal team not to say nothing so that's what you do."

'No angel'

Earlier, Mrs Norris's son told the court he was "no angel", but protested his innocence. David Norris was repeatedly asked what he was doing on the night of Mr Lawrence's death, eventually responding in apparent exasperation: "You are accusing me of murder. I am an innocent man."

He told the court he could not remember where he was that night but insisted that he was not in the Eltham area on 22 April, 1993 - the night Stephen Lawrence was stabbed to death.

"How do you know that?" Mr Ellison asked.

"Because I am innocent," responded Mr Norris.

He also said he could not explain how fibres and hair linked to Mr Lawrence were found on clothing taken from his bedroom.

He told the jury: "I was not party to Stephen Lawrence's death. I played no part whatsoever in his death. I'm not an angel, never have been an angel, but I'm also not a murderer."

Mr Norris and his co-defendant, Gary Dobson, 36, both deny murder.