THE mother of a man accused of murdering Stephen Lawrence has been accused of inventing an alibi for him.

David Norris' mother Theresa Norris gave evidence at the Old Bailey this afternoon after her 35-year-old son told jurors he could not remember where he had been the night Mr Lawrence was killed.

Norris' barrister Stephen Batten asked Ms Norris whether there were any house rules regarding when her son had to be back home at night.

He said:"What was the exact time for David to be back home?"

Ms Norris said: "9, 9.30."

Mr Batten continued: "Did he ever spend the night out?".

"No, no" replied Ms Norris.

In cross-examination prosecutor Mark Ellison asked Ms Norris if her son would be home every single weekday by that time. She said he would.

Mr Ellison continued: "So what you are saying, that on the 22nd of April when that happened, he couldn't have been in Eltham? Is that what you are saying?"

Ms Norris said "yes".

Mr Ellison asked when she had first told her son's legal representatives that he had to be home by 9pm. She said she couldn't remember.

He told her: "The first we've heard of any suggestion that you can alibi your son for this murder is today.

"I suggest to you that as a result of that you have made it up and it's a recent thing that you have made it up."

Mrs Norris said: "I haven't made nothing up."

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

She answered: "My son would have been at home."

A heated exchange ensued with Mr Ellison saying: "But I suggest you're not telling the truth."

Ms Norris replied: "My son was at home. That's all I can say. My son was at home."

When asked why she had not mentioned this to police when Norris was first interviewed, Ms Norris said she had been advised by her legal representatives to say nothing.

She also told the jury this was the reason she had not mentioned to police that the clothing seized from their home was her younger son Clifford's.

Norris and 36-year-old Gary Dobson deny murdering Mr Lawrence on April 22, 1993, in Well Hall Road, Eltham.

The trial continues.