‘Farrago of failures’ by senior police means it unlikely anyone is ever going to be prosecuted over Poppi Worthington’s death, inquest hears 

• Police investigation into Poppi's 2012  death entirely flawed from the start
• Former Det Supt Cath Thundercloud studied handling of case two years later
• Paul Worthington has escaped prosecution over any involvement in her death 
• In January 2016 a judge ruled that her father had probably sexually assaulted her
• Mrs Thundercloud told inquest police mistakes means any court case is unlikely

A 'farrago of failures' by senior police means it unlikely anyone is ever going to be prosecuted after 13-month-old Poppi Worthington died following suspected sexual abuse, an inquest heard today.

Poppi Worthington collapsed at home in Barrow, Cumbria, in the early hours of December 12, 2012, and was pronounced dead in hospital an hour later.

Her father Paul Worthington, 49, was ruled to have probably sexually assaulted her before her death, according to a judge during family court proceedings, the inquest into his daughter's death at Kendal Coroner's Court has heard.

But former detective superintendent Cath Thundercloud, who retired from Cumbria police last year, has unearthed fundamental flaws in the way officers on the case handled the case.

Forensic evidence was not collected or not sent for testing for months, the bed sheets where Poppi collapsed were not collected, her pyjama bottoms vanished and her body was not swabbed for evidence for five days.  

Mrs Thundercloud, who was not involved in the investigation into Poppi's death, told the inquest into her death today: 

• Police failed to secure the house where Poppi died in the hours following the incident;
• Officers didn't interview everyone at the property in Barrow-in-Furness including her father, who was later accused of sexually assaulting her 
• Sheets from the double bed where Poppi was found bleeding and unresponsive and her nappy were not seized by detectives. Her pyjama bottoms also disappeared and were never found;
• A laptop used by Paul Worthington to watch pornography were not seized during an uncoordinated search hours later and other electrical items such as mobile phones were not taken either; 

Detectives at Cumbria Police, who dismissed initial suspicions of child abuse, botched their investigation, which meant vital evidence was lost and the Crown Prosecution Service has twice ruled there is now insufficient evidence to prosecute anyone over her death, the inquest heard.

Mr Worthington, who is now in hiding, has never been charged with any offence and strongly denies any wrongdoing.

Home Office pathologist Alison Armour told police she suspected Poppi had been penetrated in her bottom before her death, but this is disputed by other medical experts.

On Wednesday retired former detective superintendent Cath Thundercloud of Cumbria Police, who was head of the force's Crime Command at the time, was questioned over her review in 2014 of the original police investigation two years earlier, carried out by former beauty queen, Detective Inspector Amanda Sadler and her boss Detective Chief Inspector Mike Forrester.

Gillian Irving QC, representing Poppi's mother, said: 'There was no appropriate systemic investigation into Poppi's death by this force between December 2012 and August 2013?'

The witness replied: 'No.'

Ms Irving said: 'Do you agree, what there was, was a farrago of failures so fundamental that a prosecution is never going to be achievable?'

Mrs Thundercloud replied: 'I don't think I can comment whether a prosecution would ever be achievable. There was certainly failures.'

Ms Irving continued: 'This little girl's death was pronounced at 7.08am on December the twelfth, 2012, but it was never, was it, even after Alison Armour's report, treated as a murder inquiry?'

'No,' Mrs Thundercloud replied.

Ms Irving said police had a report from pathologist Dr Armour, who had raised the suspicion of child abuse, but were 'not taking it very seriously'.

During the search of Poppi's home, officers failed to do even 'common sense' things such as empty the washing machine or check the washing basket for blood-stained clothing.

Ms Irving added: 'It's not rocket science.'

'No it's not,' Mrs Thundercloud said, adding there was no 'search strategy' so officers did not know what they were looking for.

A laptop, on which Mr Worthington told police he had been watching adult pornography, was also not seized by officers.

'Some of it beggars belief, given the relevance of it,' Ms Irving added.

Mrs Thundercloud said she developed an action plan to ensure there was no repetition of the failings, with extra training for officers, better monitorings and new, 'multiple agency' working procedures and a 'safeguarding hub' for vulnerable adults and children.

But she said the rules and procedures to follow for police dealing with sudden child deaths were 'quite clear' - but the officers investigating 'chose not to bother'.

Poppi's mother sat in court shaking her head with a wry smile and at other times appeared close to tears.

Ms Irving continued: 'You have told us a lot around apparent changes, improvements, to avoid such a fiasco in future.

'Police and procedures are only so good as the people who implement them.

'It would be wrong to say there's not been other criticisms of this force by other family judgments.'

At this point Caroline Jones, representing Cumbria Police, interjected: 'I'm not sure this is relevant.'

Another 'serious inadequacy' was that it was only hours later, at 4.15pm that day, that swabs were taken so evidence was lost.

Poppi's DNA was, however, recovered from Mr Worthington's penis in one swab.

Paul Clark, representing Mr Worthington, said 'inadequacies and failures' were found with the police investigation of the scene, taking of exhibits, search of the house, taking of witness statements and taking possession of Poppi's body.

He added: 'It's almost impossible to point to anything that was done right?'

'Yes,' Mrs Thundercloud said.

He said that after the sudden death of a child 'suspicion is always going to arise' and if police did not do their job properly it may 'simply ruin the rest of a person's life'.

The inquest has heard a sexual assault would not of itself cause Poppi to die but Dr Armour has suggested there were signs of asphyxia.

However the evidence was inconclusive and the child's exact cause of death remains 'unascertained' and the inquest will try to determine how she died.

The hearing continues.