Man named as doctor's killer will not be prosecuted

Friday 15 May 1998 18:02 EDT

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THE MAN named by a High Court judge as the killer of his former girlfriend is not to be prosecuted for her murder, the Crown Prosecution Service said yesterday. Tony Diedrick "struck and then strangled" Dr Joan Francisco, Mr Justice Alliott said in a landmark case brought at the High Court in March. Dr Francisco's family had brought a civil action for pounds 50,000 damages for assault and battery against Mr Diedrick.

He was never charged by police because the CPS advised there was insufficient evidence to prosecute him. After the civil case - which required the lower, civil, standard of proof - police submitted a fresh report on the case to lawyers.

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