Macedonia release killers on technicality

Eight Macedonian teenagers who admitted killing British paratrooper Ian Collins have been freed on a technicality.

They won't be prosecuted because they didn't repeat their confession in front of a judge as demanded by local law.

Sapper Collins died after being hit by a block of concrete as he drove through a suburb of the capital Skopje in August while he was on a NATO-led weapons gathering mission.

The 22-year-old's parents and girlfriend say they will go to Macedonia to fight for justice for their son, reports claim.

An official agreement from the start of the peacekeeping mission made it clear Macedonian law would still apply to Macedonian nationals.

The British embassy in Skopje said: "This case has run into the ground because of the legal process. It is not the fault of police."

Nato added: "This is intensely disappointing. We thought we had achieved success."

Police arrested a gang of youths aged 15 to 19 after the incident. Seven admitted in videoed interviews to being "involved" and an eighth confessed he threw the rock.

But reports claim statements and confessions in Macedonia only count as evidence when repeated in person in front of a judge. As the gang stayed silent, manslaughter charges were dropped and the eight walked free.

Ian's mother Sue, who lives near Rotherham in South Yorkshire, said: "We've been betrayed. When we heard the case was closed we couldn't believe it. We must now get the answers ourselves. But it should be the government breathing down the necks of the Macedonians."