Parents’ fury after failure to charge suspects

Jun 12 2009 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

THE parents of a teenager who was tortured in a pub attack have hit out at a decision not to prosecute those arrested.

Unemployed Nicholas Mckie, 18, of Alnwick, Northumberland, was set on fire and had jump leads attached to him in the incident in January.

He also had cigarettes stubbed out on his ears at the Falcon’s Rest pub, where he had been at a closing down party.

Nicholas, who lives at Lower Barresdale, was unconscious for part of it and woke up naked.

He had suffered burns to his back and legs and was taken to Alnwick Infirmary where staff were unable to treat him.

He spent two days in the burns unit at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary.

In the weeks after the attack, Nicholas went to hospital two to three times a week to have his wounds redressed.

It is now likely the scars will never completely heal.

Police arrested five men, bailing all until June 1.

Now Nicholas and his parents Robert and Gillian, 56 and 49 respectively, have now received a letter from police saying no further action is to be taken.

The letter says: ‘We have considered all of the evidence available to us, however we have been unable to charge anyone.’

The Mckies are furious and have written to police voicing their anger.

Mr Mckie said: “If he had died what would have happened? That is what I could not understand, would they brush that under the carpet?

“It has gotten swept under the carpet. It is just shocking.”

Mrs Mckie added: “I can’t understand why they were not all charged, all put forward to magistrates because someone did it, he did not do it to himself.

“The system is all wrong.”

Last night, a police spokesman said: “Northumbria Police carried out a thorough investigation and presented a file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), who took the decision not to proceed any further with prosecution.”

A spokeswoman for the CPS added: “The file was submitted to the CPS, which decided there was insufficient evidence to charge anyone.”