Den McGee's life was put on hold when he was accused of killing local barber, Trevor Gaskill, in July last year.

The 41-year-old architect was eventually cleared in March due to
insufficient evidence.

More than a year after the incident, he is still struggling to come to terms with the affect it has had on his life.

Den, who hails from Liverpool but now lives in Haydock, said: "When you have something like that hanging over you, not many people want to know.

"The severity of the bail conditions cut me off from my son, my friends, and my work."

On July 18, 2007, Den says he had nipped to his girlfriend's house in Newton to feed her dog while she was on holiday. Only minutes later he says the front door burst open – Trevor Gaskill and another man stormed through and started to attack him.

Den says a scuffle occured which continued outside the house on Houghton Close.

Trevor Gaskill and his pal eventually left, and Den called the police to inform them that he had been attacked and the house broken into.

Unknown to Den, only minutes later Trevor had collapsed further up the street and died at the scene.

Den said: "I was bleeding, bruised and battered. I couldn't believe what has happening.

"Especially when a police officer arrested me and said that I was under suspicion of murder.

"I was taken into custody and had to stay in a cell overnight. I just laid there thinking it all seemed so unreal. At one point I became so panicky and I thought, I am never going to get out of here."

After six hours of questioning he was allowed to go just before the 24-hour in custody mark. He had been stripped, hair samples had been taken, the wounds from the assault had been measured and his fingeranils had been scraped for evidence.

He said: "I felt violated and horrible, it is something you cannot fully understand until you have been through it. I could only wash the blood off when I had been freed and had gone back to my friend's house in Blackbrook."

For the next seven months he was forced to sign in twice week, he could not enter Newton-le-Willows, making it difficult for him to see his nine-year-old son who lives there with his mum.

He said: "When I found out that they were dropping the case it was a huge relief, a massive weight had been lifted and I could start to repair my life. However, a man has died and that still haunts me."

A police spokeswoman said: "The case against Mr McGee was discontinued due to insufficient evidence."