MPs demand another force investigates Poppi Worthington case

On Tuesday a High Court judge found that – on the balance of probabilities – Poppi had been sexually assaulted by her father, Paul, shortly before her death. However this is not the same standard of proof required in a criminal court and Mr Worthington has denied any wrongdoing.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock detailed how, despite the concerns of the Home Office pathologist who carried out a post mortem in December 2012, police failed to secure evidence, and didn’t question either of Poppi’s parents until eight months later in August 2013.

‘Still walking free’

Describing the failures as “every bit as serious as those which contributed to the deaths of Victoria Climbie and of Baby Peter in Haringey”, Mr Woodcock called for an independent investigation into how they had happened.

He went on to ask: “What will the government do to ensure the safety of… all of the community, all of the children in Barrow, given Paul Worthington is still walking free?”

Home Office Minister Karen Bradley told MPs that for a police case to be reopened, there would have to be fresh evidence, either from a second inquest now being carried out, or from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) report into the original investigation.

The IPCC report has been completed but cannot be released yet to avoid prejudicing the new inquest.

Former shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper also called in parliament for a second force to investigate the case.