They believe the individual was involved in a brutal attack on 24-year-old Kevin McLeod shortly before his body ended up at the bottom of Wick Harbour in February 1997.

But they have so far found it impossible to establish whether the prisoner, who had a history of violence, was at large at the time.

They are pinning their hopes on justice minister Kenny MacAskill breaking the official block on disclosing the prisoner's movements on the fateful weekend.

Later this week Mr MacAskill is due to answer a written question tabled by Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross MSP Jamie Stone.

Kevin's parents, Hugh and June McLeod, and uncle Allan McLeod were informed by a detective in February 2001 that their suspect could not have been involved as he was in jail at the time.

After getting a tip-off that the individual was on home release, they were initially told by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) that this information was not held by them. After later conceding that they did, indeed, have it, the SPS said it was debarred from publicly disclosing the information due to the Data Protection Act.

After having a Freedom of Information request rejected last month, the McLeods have since made an unsuccessful appeal to the Crown Office.

Allan McLeod said: "This has been hugely frustrating for us. Each and every one of our requests to establish once and for all whether this prisoner was out on weekend leave has been turned down.

"If it transpires he was in prison at the time, then fair enough and we'll move on, but the longer we remain in the dark, the more suspicious we become that there is a cover-up."

Mr McLeod said the family have good information that the individual and two other men were seen in an altercation with Kevin outside the town's Waterfront nightclub shortly before his death.

They also have information that the individual was the unnamed one which the SPS has confirmed was released on weekend home leave from Porterfield Prison, Inverness, to Alness on February 7 to February 9, 1997.

"Everything points to this individual being out at the time and we have witnesses that saw him in an altercation with Kevin," said Mr McLeod. "We can only hope that Mr MacAskill will give us the answer to finally resolve the issue of whether the guy was or was not out at the time."

He added: "This has been gnawing away at the family for years. We understand the need for data protection but we firmly believe this individual was involved in Kevin's death and believe that is a reason to override the need to keep this information confidential.

"We'd like to think Mr MacAskill would have the respect and integrity to inform the family via Mr Stone just what was the status of this prisoner at the date in question."

The family is pressing that the man, along with two others they suspect of carrying out a savage attack on Kevin, be the subject of a cold case review carried out by a force other than Northern Constabulary. Northern Constabulary says two investigations revealed no evidence of foul play and that there has not been any new evidence to prompt a fresh probe.

Mr Stone has meanwhile issued a renewed appeal to the public in the Far North to come forward with any information which can help the family in its quest to find out just how Kevin met his end.

He said: "We are all aware of the continuing anguish of the McLeod family concerning Kevin's tragic death. Now that such a length of time has gone by, I would make a personal appeal.

"If there is anyone who knows something about Kevin's death, and who might have had a change of heart, then I would urge them to come forward."

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