THE officer who led the police inquiry into the death of Jordan Taylor described it as a tragic case after Hayden Maslen was cleared of four charges relating to the death.

Jordan Taylor, 25, from Hilperton, died in the early hours of March 12 in Trowbridge town centre, after suffering from stab wounds inflicted by Hayden Maslen.

Detective Inspector Jim Taylor, who was the senior investigating officer in the case, said: “Firstly, our thoughts remain with Jordan Taylor’s family at what is clearly a very distressing time for them.

“This tragic case illustrates the real dangers of carrying weapons.

“Quite simply, there is never an excuse for carrying a weapon of any kind, because - as we have seen in this case - it can lead to tragic circumstances which leaves family and friends devastated.

“There is no easy solution to the scourge of knife crime, which impacts our communities and their feelings of safety. Tackling violence, involving knives, remains a key priority for the police service and we intend to keep up the momentum like working with schools and other partners to help educate young people on the dangers of knives; we will also continue to carry out specific police operations around this issue. This is the only way we can achieve a long term change.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of the police officers and police staff who have worked tirelessly on this investigation.

“We respect the decision of the jury and will continue to support all those involved.”

Hayden Maslen remained in custody tonight and is expected to be sentenced on Thursday to possession of a bladed article, which he pleaded guilty to.