Kevin's family claim the force has dragged its heels in following up a new lead they provided about events leading up to the 24-year-old ending up in the town's harbour in February 1997.

His parents, Hugh and June McLeod, and uncle Alan McLeod are furious that, up until last month, police had not interviewed a person the family identified in July last year as having significant information.

They say this man, who lives in the Inverness area, spoke to a person, now dead, who confessed to having "hammered" Kevin on the night he went missing.

The latter is one of two individuals the family suspect of being involved in Kevin's death.

Allan McLeod yesterday said the man they wanted police to interview can link Kevin's death to an earlier altercation in the Waterfront nightclub.

The family believe the two suspects hired a taxi from the nightclub but got out of it when they saw Kevin in the harbour area and proceeded to carry out a vicious assault on him.

Allan McLeod said: "We believe this is how he sustained the massive internal injuries which the pathologist told the procurator fiscal were consistent with a kicking received several hours before death."

Mr McLeod said their second suspect admitted lying during his initial interview with police about his movements after he left the nightclub. His later version, they say, remains uncorroborated as the driver of the taxi he hired has not been traced.

The family are at a loss to understand why police did not quickly move to interview the man who was told of the confession.

"We find it to be of grave concern that almost six months after we provided this information, police had failed to trace and interview this person," said Allan McLeod.

"We supplied them with this individual's name, nickname, area of residence, his trade and his employer.

"We believe that police do not want to solve this case either out of fear of embarrassment of their original theory being proven wrong or because something more sinister will be uncovered."

The family has regularly accused Northern Constabulary of a cover-up.

A year ago Northern Constabulary Chief Constable Ian Latimer apologised to the McLeods for acknowledged failings in how police dealt with complaints from them.

Mr Latimer has, however, denied any suggestion of a cover-up and said no fresh evidence has emerged since two separate police probes failed to establish foul play.

His deputy, Garry Sutherland, has pledged to investigate the family's latest grievance.

In a letter to Hugh and June McLeod, dated December 31, Mr Sutherland said he has recorded their latest concern as a formal complaint.

Mr Sutherland said previous complaints have been addressed by independent probes carried out by Central Police Chief Constable Andrew Cameron and Scottish Police Complaints Commissioner Jim Martin.

A Northern Constabulary spokesman said the force was yesterday in the process of contacting the McLeods to update them on recent progress it has made regarding the information they had provided.

A spokesman said: "We have carried out inquiries in relation to the individual and he has no evidence in relation to the death of Kevin McLeod."

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