A man who was beaten by a gang outside a sports club has expressed his disgust after police dropped his case five months on.

The attack happened outside the Three Hills Sports Park in Cheriton Road, Folkestone, at about 11.30pm on July 9.

Three people – who are remaining anonymous – were leaving the club after a few drinks and were walking up the drive to the main road to make their way into the town centre.

One of them, a 25 -year-old estate agent, who spoke exclusively to our sister paper the Folkestone & Hythe Express, said a group of about 12 youths were sitting outside the club before one of them ran up behind the trio and hit his best friend in the mouth.

They were both punched, kicked and stamped on.

In a bid to split it up, the former Harvey Grammar School pupil intervened.

The next he knew, he woke up on the floor with an ankle that had been snapped in half and a black eye, he said.

His friend’s girlfriend was also punched in the face and her phone crushed as she tried to dial 999.

The Hawkinge resident was taken to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford where he was kept in for a week.

He said a police officer came and took a statement the following day from his bedside.

“He was reassuring me that officers would find them and said he would keep me updated,” he said.

“His last words were ‘you won’t be forgotten’. But then that’s the last I heard.

“I was sitting in an armchair for five months, I felt completely ignored, I felt like I had been forgotten about.”

He claimed two attempts were made to speak to officers dealing with the case five weeks later, without success.

A 17-year-old boy from Deal was arrested but released without charge.

No one else has been arrested or charged.

After a summer out of action, which included five casts on his ankle, the estate agent was finally able to return to work in November.

He will have metal in his ankle for the rest of his life and restricted movement.

But just days before Christmas, two of the victims received an email from the police, telling them their cases would be dropped unless any further evidence came to light.

After keeping the news secret from his family over Christmas, they were finally told this month. His parents and grandparents are furious, he said.

Officers have given both victims the option to appeal but it is not clear yet whether they intend to do so.

He said: “Part of me thinks I should appeal but it could get handled in the same way and then it is going to be a waste of time. I feel as though the burden will be on me.”

“I was sitting in an armchair for five months, I felt completely ignored, I felt like I had been forgotten about” - the victim

Police confirmed they have launched a review of the case to look at the service provided.

Ch Insp Ken Elmes said: “The incident has been fully investigated and officers have carried out many lines of inquiry.

“A number of potential suspects were identified and interviewed and a 17-year-old was arrested.

“However, due to a lack of evidence he has been released without charge and there is insufficient evidence to take any action against the other suspects.

“I appreciate how disappointing this is for both the victims and my officers who have worked so hard on this complex investigation.

“With all reasonable lines of inquiry completed and no independent witnesses or CCTV evidence, the crime report has been filed, pending any further information or evidence coming to light.

“I have requested that a review of this case be completed to determine if the level of service provided by Kent Police was as we high as we would have expected.”

The email correspondence between the victims and the police has been shown to the Express.

A message sent on Thursday, December 22, said: “The decision has been made that no further action will be taken against those that have been interviewed.

“We have taken into account the seriousness of the injury caused, however without being able to establish who caused the injury or how the injury was caused, we do not have sufficient evidence to proceed with the matter to court.”