Sussex Police are scaling down a murder inquiry which has run for more than 18 months and cost in excess of £2 million.

It follows an announcement by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that no charges are to be laid.

CPS lawyers found insufficient evidence to bring a court action after studying a second police inquiry into the murder of accountant Jay Abatan, 42, in Brighton three years ago.

The victim's brother, Michael, last night said the Justice for Jay campaign would continue.

He will be meeting police and the lawyers on August 7 to discuss why no charges are to be pressed.

Mr Abatan, 37, from Brighton, said: "I am disappointed but the fight goes on. There are people out there who saw what happened and there is still a £175,000 reward."

The victim, from Eastbourne, was assaulted on January 24, 1999, outside the Ocean Rooms night club in Morley Street, Brighton, following a dispute about a taxi.

He died five days later in hospital.

Police are treating the death of the father-of-two as a racist murder.

The first police investigation into Mr Abatan's death failed to find his killers and was heavily criticised.

An investigation, which could lead to disciplinary measures against Sussex officers involved, is being conducted by Avon and Somerset Police.

The second inquiry, Operation Hurling, has been running since December, 2000, and involved between 30 and 40 officers.

Detective Superintendent Ken Probert, heading the operation, said "thousands and thousands" of inquiries were made.

He said the case remained open but they needed new information to take matters further.

Mr Probert is to leave the inquiry but he repeated calls to anyone with clues to contact Sussex Police on 0845 6070999 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.