By . James Slack . Stephen Lawrence, 18, was stabbed to death in an unprovoked racist attack as he waited at a bus stop in Eltham, southeast London . Corrupt police will face up to 14 years in jail under new laws introduced in response to the botched Scotland Yard investigation into the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence. Ministers said dishonest officers would be subject to ‘the full force of the criminal law’ under the proposals, which carry the same maximum sentence as burglary or importing Class B drugs. The widely-drawn legislation covers officers who threaten to do something - or not do something - for an ‘improper purpose’. Crucially, it will also apply to police who fail to act because of a friendship or other relationship with a perpetrator – a key allegation in the Lawrence case. A review by Mark Ellison QC, published in March, into the Metropolitan Police’s original Stephen Lawrence murder investigation in 1993 found evidence to suspect one of the officers in the inquiry team, DS John Davidson, acted corruptly. Davidson had a relationship with the gangster father of one of Stephen's killers and deliberately stalled the inquiry, it is alleged. The new offence will also be seen as a further crackdown on police behaviour in the wake of the Plebgate affair, which led to Cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell losing his job after a row with police at the gates of Downing Street in 2012. Police Minister Damian Green said: ‘Where police officers fall short of the high standards we expect of them, it is right that the full force of the criminal law is available to punish and deter acts of corruption by police officers. Neville Lawrence the father of Stephen, outside the Old Bailey, London, after Gary Dobson and David Norris were sentenced for Stephen's murder . Doreen Lawrence, the mother of  Stephen, during the ceremony when she took her seat in the House of Lords as Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon . ‘Corrupt . behaviour in the police should be deterred and punished so we can . maintain their standing in the eyes of the public and underline the . important work done by the overwhelming number of officers across the . country.’ Currently, . police can be prosecuted under other laws such as misconduct in public . office, but ministers believe the specific offence of police corruption . will act as an even stronger deterrent. Mark Ellison QC (above) published a review in March into the Metropolitan Police's original Stephen Lawrence murder investigation in 1993 . It . will cover cases in which a police officer acts improperly to obtain an . advantage for themselves or someone else, or to cause detriment to . someone else. Last week, the Mail revealed how a full probe into Davidson will examine claims he had a corrupt relationship with the gangster father of one of Stephen's killers and deliberately stalled the inquiry. In police intelligence reports the former detective sergeant was described as having 'no integrity as a police officer' and being 'open to offers from any source if financially viable'. The Metropolitan Police referred a file on Davidson to the IPCC two months ago after the Ellison report raised questions about his conduct in the days following Stephen's murder. Since the report was published, a series of Daily Mail investigations has exposed a web of suspected corruption in the Scotland Yard inquiries into the stabbing of Stephen and axe killing of private investigator Daniel Morgan in 1987. Scotland Yard chiefs believe it would be 'inappropriate' for the force to head the Davidson corruption probe. Instead, it will be carried out by a team of investigators from the IPCC or detectives from a provincial force, supervised by the watchdog. Barrister Mark Ellison's review of the Lawrence case in March found that Davidson may have acted corruptly. It was claimed he had admitted having a 'corrupt connection' with gangland boss Clifford Norris, the father of David Norris, who was finally convicted of Stephen's murder in 2012 along with Gary Dobson. The 18-year-old aspiring architect was stabbed to death by a racist white gang in April 1993. Not until 2012 were two of his killers convicted, and then only after a long campaign led by this newspaper to bring them to justice. The Daily Mail was in the forefront of the campaign to bring Stephen Lawrence's racist killers to justice .
Punishment would carry same maximum sentence as burglary or importing Class B drugs .
It will also apply to police who fail to act because of a friendship or other relationship with a perpetrator .
New offence will also be seen as further crackdown on police behaviour in wake of Plebgate affair .
By . James Slack . Stephen Lawrence, 18, was stabbed to death in an unprovoked racist attack as he waited at a bus stop in Eltham, southeast London . Corrupt police will face up to 14 years in jail under new laws introduced in response to the botched Scotland Yard investigation into the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence. Ministers said dishonest officers would be subject to ‘the full force of the criminal law’ under the proposals, which carry the same maximum sentence as burglary or importing Class B drugs. The widely-drawn legislation covers officers who threaten to do something - or not do something - for an ‘improper purpose’. Crucially, it will also apply to police who fail to act because of a friendship or other relationship with a perpetrator – a key allegation in the Lawrence case. A review by Mark Ellison QC, published in March, into the Metropolitan Police’s original Stephen Lawrence murder investigation in 1993 found evidence to suspect one of the officers in the inquiry team, DS John Davidson, acted corruptly. Davidson had a relationship with the gangster father of one of Stephen's killers and deliberately stalled the inquiry, it is alleged. The new offence will also be seen as a further crackdown on police behaviour in the wake of the Plebgate affair, which led to Cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell losing his job after a row with police at the gates of Downing Street in 2012. Police Minister Damian Green said: ‘Where police officers fall short of the high standards we expect of them, it is right that the full force of the criminal law is available to punish and deter acts of corruption by police officers. Neville Lawrence the father of Stephen, outside the Old Bailey, London, after Gary Dobson and David Norris were sentenced for Stephen's murder . Doreen Lawrence, the mother of  Stephen, during the ceremony when she took her seat in the House of Lords as Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon . ‘Corrupt . behaviour in the police should be deterred and punished so we can . maintain their standing in the eyes of the public and underline the . important work done by the overwhelming number of officers across the . country.’ Currently, . police can be prosecuted under other laws such as misconduct in public . office, but ministers believe the specific offence of police corruption . will act as an even stronger deterrent. Mark Ellison QC (above) published a review in March into the Metropolitan Police's original Stephen Lawrence murder investigation in 1993 . It . will cover cases in which a police officer acts improperly to obtain an . advantage for themselves or someone else, or to cause detriment to . someone else. Last week, the Mail revealed how a full probe into Davidson will examine claims he had a corrupt relationship with the gangster father of one of Stephen's killers and deliberately stalled the inquiry. In police intelligence reports the former detective sergeant was described as having 'no integrity as a police officer' and being 'open to offers from any source if financially viable'. The Metropolitan Police referred a file on Davidson to the IPCC two months ago after the Ellison report raised questions about his conduct in the days following Stephen's murder. Since the report was published, a series of Daily Mail investigations has exposed a web of suspected corruption in the Scotland Yard inquiries into the stabbing of Stephen and axe killing of private investigator Daniel Morgan in 1987. Scotland Yard chiefs believe it would be 'inappropriate' for the force to head the Davidson corruption probe. Instead, it will be carried out by a team of investigators from the IPCC or detectives from a provincial force, supervised by the watchdog. Barrister Mark Ellison's review of the Lawrence case in March found that Davidson may have acted corruptly. It was claimed he had admitted having a 'corrupt connection' with gangland boss Clifford Norris, the father of David Norris, who was finally convicted of Stephen's murder in 2012 along with Gary Dobson. The 18-year-old aspiring architect was stabbed to death by a racist white gang in April 1993. Not until 2012 were two of his killers convicted, and then only after a long campaign led by this newspaper to bring them to justice. The Daily Mail was in the forefront of the campaign to bring Stephen Lawrence's racist killers to justice .
which carry the same maximum sentence as burglary or importing Class B drugs. The widely-drawn ‘improper purpose’. Crucially, it will also apply to police who fail to act because of a friendship or other relationship with a perpetrator – a key be seen as a further crackdown on police behaviour in the wake of the Plebgate affair,