WAR veteran Thomas Shipley suffered a stroke and died after burglars broke into his home and stole his electric wheelchair.

There is no doubt in his son Barrie's mind that the 86-year-old's death was the result of the stress and distress caused by the intruders. "As far as I am concerned, he was killed by the burglars," he told this newspaper.

Yet despite police being handed a transcript of an online chatroom conversation in which potential suspects were named, the Crown Prosecution Service has decided not to prosecute three youths for the offence.

The reason? The evidence was not strong enough.

"There was a lack of physical evidence, such as forensic evidence or witnesses," said Detective Sergeant Guy Wilson of York Police.

"We repeatedly asked for witnesses to come forward, but that didn't happen. I feel very frustrated about this."

He is not the only one. There is rising concern about the effect yob culture is having on our society. To allow the perpetrators of this crime to apparently get away free sends out all the wrong messages.

It is particularly worrying that repeated appeals for witnesses failed to elicit any response. Somebody out there must know something. Shielding the perpetrators of this crime is not an act of loyalty. It is simply cowardice.

Yet even now it is not too late. Let's hope that someone, somewhere, has enough of a conscience to do the right thing and come forward with information.

Justice and common decency demand it.