THE family of Bournemouth teenager Jack Gudge have pledged to continue their fight for justice after an inquest into their son’s death failed to provide the answers they were looking for.

Assistant Dorset coroner Richard Middleton concluded that the 17-year-old died as a result of the injuries he sustained following an altercation.

Jack, of Pilot Hight Road, died on Saturday July 16, 2016 after an altercation outside Tesco Express in Wimborne Road, Winton.

Speaking after the inquest Jack’s parents, Jolene Keenan and Chris Gudge, said they believe new evidence came to light in court which should be looked at by police.

“We as a family will continue to fight for justice for Jack. We are now in talks with solicitors with a view of a private prosecution,” Jolene said.

“We would like to thank all our family, friends, Jack’s friends and community for all their love and support in this very harrowing time.”

“As it’s been relayed in there, a witness has come forward saying Jack was kicked – she saw who kicked him. I think that’s quite new evidence and should be looked into.

“I’m hoping police will take a view that evidence has come out during this time and that it wasn’t properly investigated in the beginning, that it really does need to be investigated.

“There are too many kids dying of one punch and it can’t keep happening.

“It’s getting to the bottom of it so we will just keep picking up the threads until the truth unravels itself, which ultimately it always does. We will keep fighting.”

In court, Jack’s family had asked the coroner to consider a conclusion of unlawful killing or an open verdict.

In summing up the evidence put before him before delivering a narrative verdict, Mr Middleton said Jack was described by all in the most positive of terms and he got the impression he did not go out particularly often and was not a drinker.

Mr Middleton described Jack’s behaviour, including dropping his bottle of alcohol on the floor and removing his top, prior to the altercation as “extraordinary” from the group he was with, but did not view these actions as aggressive in nature.

Jack had been drinking on the night of his death at a house party and he had also smoked cannabis.

Previously, the inquest heard Jack died minutes after being punched in the face by Karl James in the incident in Wimborne Road, which Mr James admitted to doing in self-defence to both police and the inquest.

Mr James, 26, David Ellison Florentine, 24, Adam King, 28, and a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons were arrested on suspicion of murder but have all since been released with no further action.

Senior investigating officer Neil Devoto had told the inquest there is “insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.”

Witnesses described hearing the impact of the punch on Jack, which they said took place after Jack had punched another teenager.

Speaking after the inquest, Jolene added: “Evidence has come out during the inquest so I’m not sure why it hasn’t been pursued.

“It may well be pursued but I’m not too sure. It will continue from our end until we get to the bottom of it because ultimately our son has died and we have other children that need to know why their brother is dead.

“It was out of character. He wasn’t a drinker. He didn’t really go to parties, which is why when he said “I’m going to a party now” I was a bit shocked to be honest. He had plans for the next day and obviously they never happened.

“For him to be drinking was rare, he didn’t really like it to be honest so it was unusual for him.

“He was funny, a bit of a clown at home. Loved to aggravate his brothers. He loved his friends, loved his family, loved his girlfriend. He had plans of travelling – had everything set out really.

“He was quite in routine of what he wanted to do and he’s been robbed of that.

“He’s been robbed of a future. He’s been robbed of ever being married, having children and now we have to keep his memory alive which will always happen.”