THE mum of a murdered teenager today demanded justice for her son – nine years after he was killed.
Scott Pritchard was discovered dying just yards from his Hendon home just after 7pm on Wednesday January 7, 2004.
The 19-year-old was found unconscious on the ground at the back of Lindsay Close. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Sunderland Royal Hospital.
Despite one of the biggest police hunts in Sunderland history, his murder remains unsolved.
Speaking on the ninth anniversary of his death, mum Kathleen, 52, said: “There are others out there who know what happened to Scott but haven’t spoken up. They’re nothing but cowards.”
Kathleen refuses to move from the home she shared with her son, despite the tragic memories that haunt her every day.
“I couldn’t move from here, I need to live here because I feel closer to him in this place. But one thing is for sure, I won’t rest until I get justice”, she added.
“Somebody out there knows what and why this happened. Somebody out there has the information that is going to make a difference.”
Despite extensive inquiries, police have never found the murder weapon. A post-mortem examination concluded Scott had died from injuries caused by a blunt instrument.
Massive resources were ploughed into finding the killer, with investigating officers taking more than 1,300 statements, conducting 115 interviews and collecting 2,141 exhibits.
Kathleen, who also has another son, Brett, 25, and daughter Melanie, 22, added: “Scott now has a niece, a niece he has never seen. She turned one on Saturday – just two days before yesterday’s anniversary.”
The mum, who says she has spent the past nine years tackling depression, was yesterday visiting the cemetery and spending some time remembering her eldest son, who would have turned 28 last November.
Kathleen added: “All I can do right now is get on with things and hope that one day someone comes forward with that vital piece of information.”
Scott’s murder remains fresh in the memory of many Hendon residents.
John Martin, 53, who lives near the murder scene, said: “People still remember what happened that night. He was just a young lad with his whole life in front of him.
“The police were around a lot in the days following, and I think people helped them as much as possible at the time because they were so shocked by what happened.”
DCI Andy Potts, from Northumbria Police, said: “Unsolved murders are never closed and are all subject to periodic reviews. If any new information comes to light about Scott Pritchard’s death it will be fully investigated.”
Twitter: @Sunderlandecho
Comments