THE mother of a teenager who was attacked by a gang has criticised the police after the investigation was dropped due to a lack of evidence.

Sarah Carter contacted the Comet last month after her 14-year-old son was allegedly knocked to the ground and kicked by a group of about nine youths and men at the neighbourhood shops in Bedwell, Stevenage.

Mrs Carter, who has asked for her son to remain anonymous, took the teenager to Lister Hospital after he was left bruised and shaken by the assault, which occurred in the presence of his 14-year-old girlfriend.

Following an appeal for witnesses to the incident, which took place at about 6.15pm on July 8, police arrested three males but on Monday Mrs Carter was told they had been released without charge.

“The police have said there is insufficient evidence due to the fact that my son and his girlfriend couldn’t describe them well enough and they’re saying there’s not enough evidence to take any further action,” said Mrs Carter, who lives in Stevenage.

“What makes me really cross is that an hour after the assault my son’s girlfriend and her mother went up to the shops and they were still there. I made a second call on 999 to say they were still at Bedwell shops and could be arrested but nothing was done. They had the perfect opportunity but did nothing about it.

“If this was a police officer’s child I’m sure they would’ve pulled out all the stops to find these people. I’m now worried about what they are going to do next as they’ve got away with it this time. They could use a knife.”

Speaking to the Comet this week, staff at a number of businesses based at the shops said that it had been largely “quiet” since the attack.

One employee, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “The groups can be a bit intimidating hanging around on the doorstep outside. They do hang around but then there’s nowhere for them to go and call their own and keep themselves out of trouble.

“It has been very quiet the last couple of weeks though and I have seen a few more police patrol cars going by.”

A police spokesman confirmed that no further action had been taken following the arrests, but as yet there hasn’t been an officer involved in the case available for comment.