Six people quizzed over the brutal murder of Belfast schoolboy Thomas Devlin will not face charges.

Sunday Life can reveal the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has informed the teenager’s heartbroken parents, Penny Holloway and Jim Devlin, that files on three men and three women quizzed about the killing last year will not be processed.

Although one man has been charged with the attempted grievous bodily harm of Thomas’ pal, the 15-year-old’s heartbroken parents told how their grief had been compounded by the PPS’ failure to charge anyone with murder.

One of the people quizzed about the killing was convicted UVF double-killer Billy Hutchinson.

Mother-of-three Penny, who is set to raise the matter with Security Minister Paul Goggins, has now formally requested for the PPS’ ruling to be reviewed by an independent QC from England.

Speaking on the third anniversary of the teenager’s killing, the north Belfast woman vowed to continue her family’s fight for justice.

Said Penny: “We are deeply disappointed and upset over this decision.

“Three years on and we still don’t have any justice for Thomas.

“We have put our faith in the justice system, but it has failed us to date.

“What kind of message is this giving to Thomas’ friends and the young people of this new Northern Ireland?”

And she added: “One man has been charged in relation to the attack on Thomas and his friends, but this is a very light charge. This charge clearly places him at the scene and yet we can’t understand why he hasn’t been charged with murder. We expressed no confidence in the PPS in the early stages of the investigation and nothing has changed our opinion.

“The police have worked hard on the investigation and we know they are also unhappy with the PPS’ direction.”

A spokesman for the PPS confirmed no action was being taken against the suspects.

Said the spokesman: “The director has agreed to undertake a review of the decision not to prosecute.

“The PPS has met the family of Thomas Devlin on a number of occasions over recent months. Furthermore the PPS has written to the family on Friday in relation to concerns which they have raised about the decision not to prosecute.”

Ms Holloway believes the PPS in Northern Ireland should work in the same way as the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in England and Wales, adding: “The PPS are so cautious in their approach compared to England and this is so frustrating.

“The CPS will also discuss cases with investigating officers, but the PPS don’t do it and it’s hard to understand why this is the case.

“We have looked at many cases in England, including the murder of Rhys Jones, where many people have been charged from murder to assisting offenders and this is the justice that we are seeking.

“The CPS will charge someone with murder if they are accused of being at the scene, but haven’t pulled the trigger for example. Why is this joint enterprise policy not used in Northern Ireland?

“The people who murdered my son are still walking the streets and that’s why we have formally requested for the PPS’ ruling to be reviewed by an independent QC who has experience of similar cases. Our request has been noted and we are now just waiting for a response.”

In spite of the PPS decision, the teenager’s devastated parents, who received support from former First Minister Ian Paisley and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, urged people with information to come forward.

Said Jim Devlin: “Three years on and people are still not telling the truth of over Thomas’ murder.

“There are mothers, girlfriends and friends

of the killers who are willing to allow child-killers to remain on the streets.

“These people have the information that could put my son’s killers behind bars, but they are still remaining silent.

“By remaining silent, they are just as culpable as the men who murdered my son.

“These people should remember that withholding information is a very serious offence.

“We are asking them to search their conscience and come forward because it’s never to late.”

Along with ex-north Belfast MLA Hutchinson, the chief suspect in the case was also questioned last October about the horrific knife-attack.

Both were arrested after police raided a number of homes in the loyalist Mount Vernon estate.

Sunday Life attempted to contact Mr Hutchinson about the PPS’ decision this weekend, but he was not available for comment.

The community worker was involved in a row with Ms Holloway last year after she accused people from Mount Vernon of harbouring her son’s killers.

He accused the campaigning mum of “demonising” the Mount Vernon community and claimed he was “on record” calling for people to come forward with information.

Sunday Life knows the name of Thomas’ alleged killer, but cannot publish it for legal reasons.

And we can reveal the suspect was out on bail for a separate assault, for which he was later convicted, when he is believed to have stabbed Thomas five times in the back.

Thomas was stabbed while walking with two pals, close to his home on the Somerton Road, on August 10, 2005.

Sunday Life's £10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killers remains in place.