The grieving sister of murder victim Julie Smailes has branded as cowards the witnesses who allegedly caused the collapse of a murder case through their silence.

Wendy Smailes spoke out after the five-year investigation into the killing of Julie was brought to a dramatic halt when the case against the man accused of killing her was dropped.

A murder charge against Darren Willis, 30, was discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service due to a lack of evidence.

Detectives conceded the inquiry had been brought to standstill because of a refusal of witnesses to give evidence.

Miss Smailes said last night: "I am sick of the cowards hiding away, who won't say anything. These people should be ashamed of themselves. If they had any decency they would tell what they know in court.

"These past five years have been living hell. Now we are back where we started."

Julie, 27, died in October 1996, at her home in Wingrove Terrace, Leadgate, near Consett, County Durham.

She had been tied up, strangled and stabbed more than 50 times, before her home was set alight to cover the killers' tracks.

Police revealed two years ago that mounting evidence suggested up to four people may have been directly implicated in Julie's killing.

They said information continues to point to suicide victim John Thompson as one of the two men who were in the house at the time of her death.

In August 1998, Thompson's body was found hanging near his home in Warwick Avenue, Moorside, Consett - days after teenage babysitter Rachel Tough was found dead with head injuries there.

Darren Willis, of Park Villas, Leadgate, who was arrested and charged with Julie's murder days short of the fifth anniversary of her death, has protested his innocence.