Poppi Worthington: Father will not face charges over her death
The Crown Prosecution Service says there is insufficient evidence to bring charges months after judge ruled the toddler was sexually assaulted
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The father of a 13-month-old girl who died after she was found with serious injuries at her home will not face any criminal charges, months after a judge ruled he had sexually assaulted her.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on Thursday morning that there was still “insufficient evidence” to charge Paul Worthington with any offence over daughter Poppi's death.
A spokesman said: “The CPS has looked at the original decision in this case that there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction - as we often do in other cases. We have reached the same conclusion.”
Poppi collapsed with serious injuries at her home in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, on December 12 2012 and was rushed to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Mr Worthington, who was arrested and questioned on suspicion of sexual assault in August 2013, has always denied any wrongdoing.
High Court judge Mr Justice Peter Jackson ruled in January this year that the 48-year-old had sexually assaulted his daughter shortly before her sudden death.
The conclusion from the CPS comes after prosecutors reviewed the case once again following a decision not to pursue criminal charges in the case.
The CPS had previously decided there was “insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction” but, following Mr Justice Jackson's findings, said it would be “reviewing the case”.
In its latest statement, the CPS said it was not its function “to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for the criminal (courts) to consider”.
Poppi's mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has said she is “angry and disappointed” with the decision not to bring about any charges. In a statement, she added she was “desperate” to understand more about the police investigations and the events leading up to the little girl's sudden death.
Mr Justice Jackson's ruling was made as part of care proceedings in the family court involving siblings of Poppi.
The judge concluded that Cumbria Police carried out no “real” investigation into the death of the toddler for nine months, and highlighted a list of basic errors in evidence-gathering.
Cumbria Police referred themselves to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) in June 2014.
The force later confirmed that three officers were subject to the IPCC probe - which has yet to be published - with one suspended and two others moved into different roles.
The suspended officer has since retired, one was dealt with by management action and the third is awaiting “performance proceedings”.
Cumbria Police have since apologised to the family of Poppi Worthington for their investigation failings.
The Chief Constable of Cumbria Police Jerry Graham said that investigations had fallen “well short” of the standard that should have been expected and that it had hindered the “ability of legal proceedings charged with the responsibility of determining what happened to Poppi”.
A second inquest into Poppi's death was ordered by High Court judges and will take place later this year after a first inquest took seven minutes to declare her death as “unexplained”.
Press Association