A GRIEVING mother says she is totally gutted that no-one will face charges over the death of her disabled son.

Carol Hall’s 28-year-old son Scott died in August, 11 days after an alleged assault.

Today (Friday, January 23), two teenagers appeared in court charged with assault causing actual bodily harm.

The boys, who were both 15 at the time, cannot be named for legal reasons.

They both pleaded not guilty and are due to face trial before a District Judge at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court in March.

Speaking after today’s (Friday, January 23) hearing at Consett Magistrates’ Court, Mrs Hall, 56, said: “I’m gutted – totally gutted. It’s not right.

“The punishment should fit the crime.”

Scott Hall, who had physical and learning disabilities, was allegedly assaulted near Newton Hall library, at the junction of Carr House Drive and Alnwick Road, in Newton Hall, Durham City, at about 10.15pm on Thursday, July 24, last year.

He was taken to hospital but later released.

Mrs Hall, a part-time shop assistant, then endured the horror of finding her son unconscious at the foot of the stairs at their home on Caterhouse Road, Framwellgate Moor, on the evening of Saturday, August 2.

He never regained consciousness and died in hospital two days later.

A post-mortem examination revealed Mr Hall died as a result of a bleed on the brain caused by an injury to the head and police investigated whether his death was linked to the alleged assault.

However, a Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said: “In all cases, the evidence required to bring criminal charges must be sufficient to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.

“In the case of Scott Hall, the coroner found no evidence to link the death of Mr Hall with an alleged assault upon his person some two weeks before.

“While the principal cause of his death was identified by the coroner as blunt force trauma, he was unable to identify with any measure of certainty a single attributable cause for those injuries.

“In light of this, it would not have been appropriate to bring any charges relating to the unlawful killing of Mr Hall.

“We extend our deepest sympathies to the family of Mr Hall at what must be a very difficult time for them.”