The family of Barry Dixon has hired an independent pathologist to run a fresh post-mortem on his body.
Two years after Barry was stabbed to death at a flat in Perth’s Tulloch area by Robbie Smullen, his family is continuing their pursuit for fresh information to become public.
Having begun legal proceedings against Police Scotland and the Crown Office, the Dixon family hired the pathologist for a second opinion on the chain of events surrounding Barry’s death.
Robbie Smullen was jailed for more than nine years after being convicted of culpable homicide, while his mother Mary Theresa was handed unpaid work for perverting the course of justice.
Family simulation of night of death
Barry’s aunt Jade Taylor has said the family has simulated the events of June 4 2019 in a bid to prove an alleged argument between Barry and Smullen could not have happened.
She said: “We have had a reconstruction carried out of the timeline presented in court to the jury of Robbie Smullen’s movements when they alleged Barry was stabbed.
“We have no understanding of why it was not highlighted to the jury that it was not humanly possible for the verbal altercation, then physical altercation, to have taken place as Robbie Smullen alleged in his evidence during the trial.
“The only possible scenario was what we knew all along – Robbie Smullen went to the property on a mission, already aware Barry was there, already armed with a knife and with a premeditated plan to murder him.
“We have also instructed an independent pathologist to carry out a review of the post-mortem and evidence.
“We feel we need a second opinion, particularly in relation to Barry’s injuries before we can erect his headstone and properly lay him to rest.
“We are devastated that we are still stuck in a living nightmare, two years on from Barry’s death.
“But we are very thankful that the Crown Office have agreed to liaise with our pathologist and give him access to all relevant evidence and reports he will require to conclude his opinion on the murder of our child.”
Memorials
Barry’s family has designed a stone in memory of Barry, which includes a bronze statue of his beloved BMX bike.
They are also petitioning the Scottish Government to order a full enquiry into the police investigation and are close to reaching 5,000 signatures.
There is also a memorial page.
Jade previously said: “We will spend the second anniversary of Barry’s death remembering happier times, thinking about our handsome, funny and kind boy.
“Two years on, I still can’t comprehend the thought of not seeing my nephew again and it’s never going to be okay not having him here.
“Barry will always be loved, always be missed and never be forgotten.”
Police Scotland previously said it would continue to liaise with the family.
