A CORONER has criticised two young thugs who walked away after running down a pensioner in their car and leaving him to die.

The fact that neither Christopher Eade nor Robert Webber were brought to justice enraged the family of pensioner Jimmy Mulligan, who was 73.

Police said they could not bring a prosecution because each one blamed the other for driving the car that killed him in Gateshead.

But yesterday Eade, 19 and Webber, 21, were roundly critcised at Mr Mulligan's inquest.

Coroner Terrence Carney recorded a verdict of unlawful killing and blamed both for Mr Mulligan's death. He said the family had been met with "a wall of lies."

Throughout the hearing the pair had shown no interest - and at one stage Eade fell asleep.

Mr Carney said: "It seems to me beyond all reasonable doubt that anyone who drives a vehicle at speed is driving criminally, dangerously and recklessly and is responsible for the consequences which follow. Those consequences were horrendous.

"Two young men were seen running away from the accident, there is no doubt in my mind who they were."

He rounded on Eade and Webber for their attitude throughout the four-day hearing.

Mr Carney told the pair: "You have failed to turn up on time every day. Once is excusable but four times is contemptible."

He ruled the cause of death was heart trauma following the accident and a severe injury to Mr Mulligan's right leg.

Great-grandfather Mr Mulligan, a retired coke worker, was killed on May 1 last year as he waited at a bus stop in Gateshead with a friend.

A witness said he had seen Eade at the wheel of the Silver Ford Sierra car minutes before the crash .

The police were unable to charge either man and, to the fury of Mr Mulligan's family, they were released.

Diabetes sufferer Mr Mulligan, of Milbrook, Gateshead, left two sons, two daughters, nine grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.