NOT PROVEN VERDICT AFTER ACCUSED WALKS FREE
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nightmare. You don’t think the police will come to your door on Christmas and tell you to get to hospital where your boy is dying. that he went to the flat because his jacket had been stolen.
His defence, carried out by veteran lawyer Donald Findlay QC, centred on a claim that David McKinnon had attacked Thomas.
Lenny said: “The argument put forward was that McKinnon assaulted Thomas and that McDade was actually stopping the fight. But it
Lenny joined June and other family members at court on the day of the v e r d i c t , Aug us t 2 5 , wh i le Margaret stayed at home.
June, 43, added: “The moment the verdict was read out was surreal. I heard it and thought, ‘Holy mother of God’. It’s sheer disbelief.
“I can still hear my family screaming and looking at my poor father and thinking – what do we tell our mum?”
When the family arrived home from court, they told Margaret the news.
She said: “Lenny came home and told me. I was in bed and I just shut my eyes and closed the door to everyone. I couldn’t say anything as I was in shock.
“Not in a million years did I think he would walk free from it. My son was battered to death. Not proven is utter nonsense.”
McDade was sentenced to 15 months for assaulting McKinnon but, due to time spent on remand, he was immediately released.
The family treasure the last photos of Thomas, taken weeks before his death. They show him with daughter Brooke, 15, and granddaughter D’arcy, whose second birthday was Christmas Day – the day of his murder.
The Crown Office said yesterday they were unable to comment.
Sunday Mail
I’ll never see him, speak to him or hug him again