The father of a young Fife dad who died after being stabbed in May 2011 has told how the family is still struggling to come to terms with the death.
The McLean family from Burntisland, who have been campaigning for a reduction in knife crime, are making preparations for their fifth anti-knife crime march, to be held in Dunfermline in July.
Twenty-seven-year-old Barry McLean left behind a baby son when he died. His killer, Sean Kitchener, admitted “poking” Barry with a kitchen knife but made a plea of self-defence at the High Court in 2012 and was cleared of murder.
The family want the case reinvestigated and tougher penalties introduced, which they believe will reduce knife crime by “setting an example to those who carry out such horrific acts”.
Barry’s father Alan McLean said the “fight for justice” would continue. “We are still struggling, almost three years on, and always will struggle to come to terms with the death of our precious son Barry,” he said.
“We know we will never see Barry again and he will never see his son growing up and that hurts so bad as this should never have happened.
“All this pain through someone else’s actions and making the wrong choice, and Barry’s killer walked free from a High Court without any form of punishment at all, not even any punishment for being in possession of a knife. What message does that send out to others?”
Mr McLean said he is fully supportive of the stop and search tactics increasingly being employed by Police Scotland.
He added: “The stop and search policy works as a deterrent but we need to work together as one unit to have an impact on knife crime. Anti-knife crime groups must have more support and leadership from our government.”
July’s march will be supported by Burntisland Pipe Band, and representatives of the fire service, NHS, students, family and friends and other victim groups from Glasgow.
Marchers will gather at 12.30pm for a 1pm start, with a route going from the East Port car park, along High Street to Pittencrieff Park.