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  1. Our live coverage across the day

    That's all for our live coverage today. 

    It's been a day which has seen the CPS reveal no-one will be charged over the death of Poppi Worthington.

    Then Cumbria Police admitted it made a string of mistakes in the investigation into her death in December 2012.

    Finally a solicitor for Poppi Worthington's mother said she is 'desperate to understand' how police failed her daughter so badly.

    Poppi Worthington

    We'll be back from 08:00 tomorrow with all the rest of your news, sport, travel and weather.

    Take care.

  2. Police chief admits Poppi investigation went into 'deep freeze' for eight months

    The police investigation into the death of Barrow toddler Poppi Worthington went into "deep freeze" for eight months, Cumbria's chief constable has admitted.

    Speaking today after the CPS said no-one will be prosecuted over the toddler's death, Jerry Graham admitted "we messed up". 

    He added: "And I think we messed up right from the start of this investigation. One of the critical things of any investigation, but particularly in an investigation of this complexity, is the ability to manage the scene.

    "Potentially it was a crime scene, and officers are trained to lock it down and collect evidence and our job is to search for the truth, and what we should have done was manage the scene, got all the potential evidence there was, and that would have allowed us to assemble a case over a period of time.

    "We didn't do that, we made mistakes right from the start.

    "And then secondly another fundamental mistake was the length of time it took before we actually investigated.

    "The investigation almost went into the deep freeze for seven or eight months, and that was wholly unacceptable, it shouldn't have happened, and I apologise for that."

    Jerry Graham
  3. Poppi Worthington denied justice, Lib Dem leader Tim Farron says

    Judith Moritz

    BBC North of England Correspondent

    Poppi Worthington has been denied justice, Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron tells me.

    The Westmorland and Lonsdale MP was speaking after Cumbria Police admitted a string of failings over the death of the 13-month-old girl in 2012.

    Today Mr Farron welcomed the force's apology over the way it handled the investigation.

    Judith and Time Farron
  4. Police failings led to lack of evidence, chief admits

    Failings in the Poppi Worthington investigation contributed to the fact no-one will be charged over her death, Cumbria's police chief has admitted.

    Today the CPS announced there is no realistic chance of prosecting anyone following the 13-month-old's death in December 2012.

    Jerry Graham

    Chief Constable Jerry Graham told North West Tonight: "The CPS have got to make a decision whether there's enough evidence to prosecute, and police evidence is going to be crucial to them making their decision.

    "I think the shortcomings in the police investigation, one has to speculate, we have not helped the CPS to come to a decision about prosecution. 

    "So the flaws in our investigation I think will inevitably have contributed to that decision."

  5. One police officer still facing action over Poppi investigation.

    Three officers were subject to the IPCC probe into Poppi's death - 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 other is awaiting "performance proceedings". 

    This is believed to be a "third-stage performance meeting". The HomeOffice guidance says the possible outcomes are as follows:

    • Redeployment.
    • Reduction in rank (in the case of a member of a police force and for performance cases only).
    • Dismissal (with a minimum of 28 days’ notice).
    • Extension of a final improvement notice (in exceptional circumstances).

    No timescale was given on when this would be completed.

  6. How the various inquiries unfolded

    Poppi Worthington was buried in February 2013, precluding a further post-mortem exam after her body was released by the local coroner. 

    There was said to be an "absence of evidence" to find out how she died, or definitively prove if or how she was injured. 

    Cumbria Police made a self-referral to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) in June 2014. 

    The IPCC says the report will not be published until after the new inquest in the autumn.

  7. Senior officer admitted mistakes were made in Poppi inquiry

    Cumbria Police has today blamed "senior officers" for failings in the Poppi Worthington investigation.

    Back in November, a detective in charge of the probe into the death of the 13-month-old in Barrow admitted mistakes were made in the inquiry.

    Poppi died in December 2012 but there was a delay of almost nine months before a full inquiry began.

    Police failed to keep items for analysis, and the home was not visited or statements taken, new documents show.

    Retired Det Supt Mike Forrester said "with hindsight" he would have done things sooner.

    Retired Det Supt Mike Forrester

    "I'm not saying we get it right all the time, but none of us on this case have done anything intentionally wrong", he said.

    "We haven't done anything dishonest. We've done the best we can with the information we had (and) with the resources we had at the time.

    "I do accept that the police and other agencies perhaps have got things wrong, particularly in the very early stages around scene management and the timelines of the investigation," he said.

    "Hindsight's a wonderful thing. If I look back now and think would I have done anything differently, perhaps I would have done things sooner."

  8. Senior detectives retrained after 'flawed' Poppi investigation

    Martin Lewes

    Reporter

    Cumbria's chief constable and police and crime commissioner have both been stressing the measures taken to try to make sure the shortcomings of the Poppi Worthington inquiry are not repeated.

    Evidence was lost and important interviews were delayed for months after the 13-month-old collapsed and died in 2012.

    Police logo

    Chief Constable Jerry Graham said there'd been a two-year plan drawn up with child safeguarding specialists.

    He said: "This includes further training for all operational supervisors and staff in respect of the management of potential crime scenes. Senior detectives have received bespoke training into child deaths."

    PCC Peter McCall said he's been assured that inadequate procedures had been addressed, and there would be independent reviews of each case.

  9. Poppi Worthington failures 'must be put right'

    If Cumbria Police has not learnt lessons from the debacle over the Poppi Worthington investigation the chief constable should go, Labour Barrow MP John Woodcock says.

    Jerry Graham apologised for the force's handling of the probe into the toddler's death in 2012, and said lessons would be learned.

    Cumbria Police's Chief Constable Jerry Graham

    But speaking to North West Tonight, Mr Woodcock said:  

    Quote Message: The bottom line is these failures must be put right, and there must be a system in place in which the community can have confidence in the police.
    Quote Message: It's not yet possible to say whether the heartfelt apology from the chief constable has resulted in sufficient change and action.
    Quote Message: That needs to be assessed independently by the home secretary and if it is judged that he has put things right, then obviously he can stay in post, but if not then there must be a question mark hanging over all levels of the force, including the chief constable."
  10. Police commissioner: No one will be brought to justice for Poppi's death

    Cumbria's Police and Crime Commissioner Peter McCall says he's disappointed that no one can now be brought to justice for the death of the Barrow toddler Poppi Worthington in 2012.

    Her added the chief constable was right to apologise to her family.  

    Peter McCall

    He said: "I have spoken in detail to the Chief Constable and I am assured by him that the inadequate operational procedures in 2012 have now been addressed by bespoke training, additional training for senior investigating officers investigating child deaths, accountability and challenge from mentor’s and peer reviews, and support from other agencies such as the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board."

    Mr McCall said he would be asking HMIC inspectors who are due to visit the force over the summer to give independent assurances.

  11. Home secretary urged to intervene in Cumbria Police

    The new Home Secretary Amber Rudd needs to intervene in Cumbria Police after failings emerged in its handling of the Poppi Worthington investigation, a Cumbria MP says.

    Labour Barrow MP John Woodcock told North West Tonight: "It's deeply frustrating that the independent report by the IPCC has still not seen the light of day. 

    "There can be no excuse now for that not being brought forward. And that will outline some of the individual failings and of course there must be individual accountability.

    "But I'm equally concerned in a force that has so manifestly failed in its basic duty to the community.

    "It's not simply enough for the head of the force to apologise and say 'it's ok we've sorted that out'. 

    "How do we know? How can we see? And there needs intervention at the highest level to give us those assurances.

    Home Secretary Amber Rudd
  12. Chief Constable blames officers for Poppi inquiry failings

    Cumbria's Chief Constable Jerry Graham blames a lack of judgement and and decision-making for the way evidence lost evidence and delayed inquiries  after the death of 13-month-old Poppi Worthington.

    Mr Graham says there was no lack of resources. But he lists:

    • Poor judgement and decision-making by senior detectives;
    • Officers not adhering to policy, or not knowing what policies and procedures were;
    • Insufficient challenge into ongoing and protracted investigations.

    He said:

    Quote Message: I can only imagine the distress that the parents and family of Poppi Worthington must have felt at her death, but also four years after, they’re no clearer as to why she died and the circumstances of her death." from Jerry Graham Chief Constable, Cumbria Police
    Jerry GrahamChief Constable, Cumbria Police

    Many of these failings had already  been identified by Mr Justice Peter Jackson in a court hearing in March 2014. 

    He said a police witness had been 'driven with evident reluctance to accept a number of failings in the inquiry.'

    Mike Forrester

    Last year the officer in charge of the investigation, Det Supt Mike Forrester, who's now retired, admitted that in hindsight he would have done some things sooner.

    "I do accept that the police and other agencies perhaps have got things wrong, particularly in the very early stages around scene management and the time lines of the investigation," he said.  

  13. How pathologists questioned the evidence of Poppi's abuse

    After Poppi Worthington's death, Dr Alison Armour, a Home Office pathologist, carried out a post-mortem examination from which she concluded there was evidence of sexual assault.

    Dr Alison Armour

    Dr Armour, however, said the cause of death was unascertained, and police thought she'd jumped to conclusions. 

    They also failed to keep a number of items of evidence such as sheets and clothing.

    Dr Armour maintained her conclusions as they were questioned by Dr Stephen Leadbetter, at an eight-day hearing in March 2014.

    Dr Leadbetter said the signs Dr Armour had seen could have other causes, including having been cause as part of the post-mortem exam.

    In his judgement Mr Justice Peter Jackson conceded Dr Armour's findings were "heavily disputed". 

    But he said that the only explanation for the facts was abuse, and the only person who could have perpetrated it was Poppi's father.

  14. Call for outside force to assess Cumbria Police

    An outside force must come in and inspect Cumbria Police after it admitted failings over Poppi Worthington's death, an MP says.

    Labour Barrow MP John Woodcock told North West Tonight: "The chief constable (of Cumbria Police) is taking responsibility (for the failings) through the apology. 

    "My chief question is how is this force going to be given the ok, and how can it show that it has properly improved?

    Labour Barrow MP John Woodcock

    "If this was a school it would have been classed as failing and an outside regime would come in to monitor it and put it back on track. If it was a hospital it would have been put in special measures.

    "What you have here is the chief constable saying 'we did wrong, we screwed up', but then saying 'we've put in place measures to change this', and that's very good to hear. 

    "But there needs to be an outside force coming in and assessing that.

    "That's something that I want to take up with the new home secretary (Amber Rudd) at the first possible opportunity."

  15. Poppi Worthington's father Paul 'did not abuse daughter'

    Back in January, Tracy Worthington, the sister of Paul Worthington, denied he had ever sexually abused his daughter Poppi before her death.

    The death had been shrouded in secrecy, with a 2014 fact-finding civil court judgement being kept private so as not to prejudice any criminal proceedings.

    In his judgement that month, Mr Justice Peter Jackson said he could not accept Mr Worthington's evidence relating to the collapse of Poppi at the family home and was "not impressed" with his account of the events leading up to her death.

    Paul Worthington, 48, was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault but not charged with any offence.

    His sister was also critical of the police investigation, which she said denied her brother the chance to clear his name. The interview is below.

    Video content

    Video caption: Poppi's father 'did not abuse her'
  16. No charges over Poppi death 'bitterly disappointing'

    It is "bitterly disappointing" that no-one will be charged over the death of Poppi Worthington, a Cumbria  MP says.

    Labour Barrow MP John Woodcock told North West Tonight: "It confirms our worst fears about the scale of police failures in the aftermath of Poppi's death which has thwarted, probably forever, the chance of getting proper justice for her death.

    "I heard the apology from the police chief constable. But the big question that remains for that force is 'have they done enough and what will be the regime that can actually improve and restore the confidence of the public'?"

    Labour Barrow MP John Woodcock
  17. Poppi's mother speaks of anger and disappointment over CPS decision

    Poppi Worthington's mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is "desperate to understand" how police failed her daughter so badly, her solicitor says.

    Today she issued a statement through Fiona McGhie, from the law firm Irwin Mitchell.

    It says:

    Quote Message: This is obviously a very distressing time for Poppi's mother and she is desperate to understand more about the police investigations and the events leading up to Poppi's death.
    Quote Message: She is angry and disappointed with the decision by the Crown Prosecution Service and wishes to be given time and space at this difficult time as we approach the inquest."
  18. Judge was 'unusually troubled' by Poppi's death

    Martin Lewes

    Reporter

    Family law is normally considered in hearings in which almost all the details are kept private.

    But because of concern about the way police and social services had dealt with the case, media organisations including the BBC took action to get information about the Poppi Worthington case made public.

    In an edited version of a judgement published in January this year, Mr Justice Peter Jackson gave his conclusions in what he described as 'a more than usually troubling case'.

    He said evidence from pathologists, including Dr Alison Armour, led him to conclude that Poppi died after an assault by her father Paul. 

    This led to the Crown Prosecution Service reviewing the case and the decision today. 

    Poppi Worthington
  19. Police chief 'cannot imagine the distress that Poppi's family have felt'

    Judith Moritz

    BBC North of England Correspondent

    Poppi Worthington died suddenly almost four years ago. 

    No-one has ever been prosecuted for her death, and today the Crown Prosecution Service said there was no realistic prospect of conviction. 

    The Chief Constable of Cumbria Police, Jerry Graham, said that his force's investigation into Poppi's death "fell well short of the standard that should have been expected." 

    He apologised to the baby's family and all those who loved her. 

    The police say that they failed to preserve evidence, took too long to interview key witnesses, did not keep accurate records, and failed to share concerns with the local authority. 

    The Chief Constable added that those deficiencies contributed to the fact that almost four years after the baby's death, the cause remains unascertained. 

    He said that he cannot imagine the distress that Poppi's family must have felt.

  20. Coroner prepares for new inquest into Poppi

    Preparations for a second inquest into Poppi Worthington's death are continuing.

    Today Cumbria Coroner David Roberts announced that he will hold a second pre-inquest review on 29 July in Carlisle.

    The reviews are a way for all interested parties to discuss what evidence and witnesses the inquest has available. 

    An earlier inquest in October 2014, under the previous coroner Ian Smith, lasted only seven minutes. 

    It found the cause of Poppi's death was "unascertained."  Mr Smith said this was because reporting restrictions stopped him referring to findings of the investigation.

    A year ago, the High Court described this as "irregular" and ordered a second inquest.