Police have rejected a family’s plea for a fresh probe into the mysterious death of a young Moray man.
And relatives of Neil Riddel have been told officers will not respond to any further requests they make foe a new investigation into how he died.
They are now demanding a meeting with Chief Constable Sir Stephen House and have challenged him to reopen the inquiry into Mr Riddel’s death – or charge them with wasting police time.
Mr Riddel’s body was found in a field outside Keith in 1991, a mile from the family home at Aultmore.
His parents and brother have always disputed the official cause of his death, which was ruled a suicide.
Last month the family submitted a dossier to Scotland’s top police officers, outlining their belief that Mr Riddel died in custody and was later dumped at the rural spot.
Deputy Chief Constable Iain Livingstone has now written to the family rejecting their plea for a new investigation and telling them he would “no longer respond” to communication on the matter.
The letter said: “I am satisfied that the concerns raised have previously been addressed on more than one occasion, and in the absence of any new evidence to the contrary we will no longer respond to you in connection with this particular matter.”
Mr Livingstone made reference to past case reviews which have backed officers’ version of events, and added: “I consider this matter closed.”
Mr Riddel’s family will mark the 24th anniversary of the 19-year-old apprentice blacksmith’s death on Monday and have vowed not to give up their quest for answers.
His mother Margaret, 76, and brother, Ian, are now asking Sir Stephen to order a new investigation into his death.
Mrs Riddel said last night: “How dare Mr Livingstone send us a response like that, it totally lacks respect.
“Past reviews have involved Grampian Police looking into their own work, and we hoped for a new approach from Police Scotland.
“We want to meet Stephen House face to face, and we are saying to him either do your job or charge us with wasting police time.”
The letter the family received this week was accompanied by a report which Mrs Riddel said had given her some hope of a breakthrough.
It contained a 2014 police review of the case, which accepted that aspects of the report made by the leading investigator at the time “contained personal opinion in part, as opposed to fact”.
Mrs Riddel said: “This is the first time we have received any indication from the police that the original report was not correct.
“This is one of their own saying that aspects of the original report were based on opinion rather than fact.
“It’s as if the police have built up a dam against us, and it’s taken a long time, but I can see a crack emerging now.”
In 1991 officers said the teenager was seen entering a field near his home, where he later overdosed on anti-depressants and died.
But the Riddel family claim that a local taxi driver, who was familiar with Mr Riddel, spotted him in Keith four hours later.
They also say the official verdict of suicide was based on a false claim that Mr Riddel had attempted to take his own life previously, and that his body was badly bruised when discovered.
A police spokesman said yesterday: “Police Scotland is satisfied that the issues raised have been addressed previously, fully investigated and subsequently reviewed, and there is no new evidence.
“DCC Livingstone has responded directly to the family and has no further comment to make.”