Fatal club shooting case dropped

The CPS said it was not able to continue the prosecution

The case against three men accused of shooting dead a teenager at a nightclub in Bristol has been dropped.

The decision by the Crown Prosecution Service came days after a ruling by the Court of Appeal on the issue of hearsay evidence from anonymous witnesses.

Dean Myles, 19 and from London, was shot at Club UK in September 2006.

Ashley Pritchard, Jamie Veira and Matthew Radnedge will not face a re- trial. Rico Walker was acquitted at a trial in 2007. All four denied murder.

Jurors failed to reach a verdict on the three men after an eight-week-long trial in December 2007.

The CPS had been seeking a retrial but was forced to drop the case when the Court of Appeal ruled emergency laws protecting the anonymity of witnesses would not allow them to have their evidence read out in their absence.

Ann Reddrop Head of CPS Complex Casework Unit said: "We considered the judgement very carefully but have reluctantly come to the conclusion that in the light of the Court of Appeal's ruling, this case can no longer go ahead.

Case open

The police investigation into the shooting remains open

"As a result of last week's ruling, we are no longer able to use vital evidence which was successfully presented at the first trial.

"We considered whether there was any way of continuing with the case but decided that without this evidence the case was no longer strong enough to go to court.

"This morning at Bristol Crown Court we told the judge that we were not able to continue the prosecution and would formally offer no evidence against the defendants.

"We have informed the victim's family of our position and that the prosecution team has done everything that can be done."

Detective Superintendent Arthur Lewis, said: "The police investigation into this case remains open and we continue to appeal to any witnesses to come forward.

"Notwithstanding the disappointing outcome of these proceedings, police remain absolutely committed to robustly doing everything possible to disrupt, dismantle and destroy serious and organised crime in the Avon and Somerset Constabulary area and beyond, keeping our communities safe."