Detectives investigating a violent double murder could be met by a "wall of silence" as they attempt to get inside York's drug scene.

A senior officer leading the inquiry into the deaths of Kevin Mulgrew, 38, and Daniel Wall, 27, believes drug users in the city could hold vital information.

The two dead men, who were discovered on the floor of a Gillygate bedsit with severe head injuries, are said to have "connections" in the drug community.

But Matt Knight, of drug user support agency Compass, said members of the city's tight-knit drug using clique were "extremely unlikely" to help the police for fear of potential repercussions. He said: "The fear among drug users is that either they will be seen in that environment giving information, or that having come along and given information, it may be held over them in the future if they get into trouble with the law.

"There's a perceived distrust in parts of the drugs community on how far information is confidential and they also fear repercussions.

"The police are unfortunately likely to meet a wall of silence. It's not the thing that users are likely to talk about, even in our agencies.

"Violence, fear and intimidation - that's how the drug sub-culture works and that's how these things happen and when people help they can be punished for it."

Detective Superintendent Javad Ali, who is heading Operation Calendar, the police inquiry into the double murder, said drug users in York may be able to help the police trace the killer or killers.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, he said: "The dead men were known to the police and have connections with the local drug community. It may well be that other members of the York drug scene can provide us with information, and if that is the case, I would urge them to contact me, in confidence if necessary."

Updated: 10:59 Tuesday, December 09, 2003