Five teen murder suspects face wait until November

Thursday 24 September 2015

The five teenage suspects over the murder of 16-year-old Morgan Huelin have had their bail extended until late November.

Specialist forensic work into exactly why the Victoria College student died is being undertaken in the UK, and police say that they can’t make the final decision on whether to file charges against the five until that work is concluded.

The five suspects – four 16-year-olds and one 15-year-old – were arrested the day after Morgan was found dying on a quiet Trinity lane on 5 July.

Three were arrested at a nearby house within minutes of police arriving at the scene, and two were arrested later in the day.

Doctors officially confirmed that Morgan was dead at the General Hospital at 10.19 am, after paramedics tried to save his life where he was found on Rue de Becquet Vincent at around 9.45 am by a young woman walking her dog.

All five suspects were arrested on suspicion of murder, and were released on bail between 5 pm and 6.30 pm the following day.

They were bailed – and that bail has now been extended twice. By the time the boys finally go back to the police station, it will have been over four months since Morgan’s death.

A police statement said: “Following the death of 16 year old Morgan Huelin on Sunday 5th July 2015, the five suspects arrested in connection with Morgan’s death have had their bail extended further until Friday 27th November.

“This is to allow for the continuation of time specific and specialist forensic work taking place in the UK.

“This work is on-going and will take several weeks to complete. The outcome of this work is critical to both the Police and the Law Officers Department in considering the potential for any future proceedings, in addition to that evidence already under consideration.

“No further comment will be made at this time.”

The investigation into Morgan’s death was codenamed “Operation Emerald”, and at its height, it had 24 officers working full-time on the case.

In the days after the death, officers carried out searches of the nearby area, conducted house-to-house inquiries, and looked at data from mobile phones and CCTV cameras to piece together what happened.

A Home Office pathologist was flown to the Island to carry out the post-mortem examination on Morgan’s body.

Because they are under 18, none of the five suspects will be publicly named, even if they are charged over the death.