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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jan/15/poppi-worthington-was-sexually-abused-by-father-coroner-rules
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| Poppi Worthington was sexually abused by father, coroner rules | Poppi Worthington was sexually abused by father, coroner rules |
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| Toddler suffocated soon after being assaulted, says coroner, but Paul Worthington is unlikely ever to face trial | Toddler suffocated soon after being assaulted, says coroner, but Paul Worthington is unlikely ever to face trial |
| Helen Pidd | Helen Pidd |
| Mon 15 Jan 2018 15.24 GMT | Mon 15 Jan 2018 15.24 GMT |
| Last modified on Mon 15 Jan 2018 16.11 GMT | |
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| A fit and active baby girl suffocated after being sexually abused by her father, a coroner has ruled. | A fit and active baby girl suffocated after being sexually abused by her father, a coroner has ruled. |
| Poppi Worthington died just over five years ago at her home in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, after spending part of the night in bed with her father, Paul Worthington. | Poppi Worthington died just over five years ago at her home in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, after spending part of the night in bed with her father, Paul Worthington. |
| On Monday David Roberts, senior coroner for Cumbria, ruled that the 13-month-old had been sexually assaulted by her father just before her death, after a postmortem found suspicious injuries in her anus. The coroner concluded that Poppi had died from asphyxiation after Worthington brought her into his bed to abuse her, and she was unable to breathe properly afterwards. | On Monday David Roberts, senior coroner for Cumbria, ruled that the 13-month-old had been sexually assaulted by her father just before her death, after a postmortem found suspicious injuries in her anus. The coroner concluded that Poppi had died from asphyxiation after Worthington brought her into his bed to abuse her, and she was unable to breathe properly afterwards. |
| Roberts said a conclusion of unlawful killing was not available to him as he was not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Poppi died from an act of murder or manslaughter. | Roberts said a conclusion of unlawful killing was not available to him as he was not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Poppi died from an act of murder or manslaughter. |
| Although satisfied that she was sexually assaulted before her death, he concluded she did not die immediately afterwards and that penetration did not cause her death. | Although satisfied that she was sexually assaulted before her death, he concluded she did not die immediately afterwards and that penetration did not cause her death. |
| He said Poppi’s ability to breathe was compromised by an “unsafe sleeping environment” after her father had taken Poppi from her cot and placed her next to him in his double bed. | He said Poppi’s ability to breathe was compromised by an “unsafe sleeping environment” after her father had taken Poppi from her cot and placed her next to him in his double bed. |
| Roberts said Poppi, who at the time was suffering from an upper respiratory tract infection, died from asphyxia. | Roberts said Poppi, who at the time was suffering from an upper respiratory tract infection, died from asphyxia. |
| “The deceased died as a result of her ability to breathe being compromised by an unsafe sleeping environment,” he said. | “The deceased died as a result of her ability to breathe being compromised by an unsafe sleeping environment,” he said. |
| Worthington is unlikely to ever be put on trial because police failed to collect forensic evidence. | Worthington is unlikely to ever be put on trial because police failed to collect forensic evidence. |
| The nappy Poppi was wearing, along with her pyjama bottoms, were never recovered. It was not until more than eight months after her death that police started investigating properly and arrested Worthington and Poppi’s mother, who cannot be named. | The nappy Poppi was wearing, along with her pyjama bottoms, were never recovered. It was not until more than eight months after her death that police started investigating properly and arrested Worthington and Poppi’s mother, who cannot be named. |
| Poppi Worthington dies suddenly, aged 13 months, at her home in Cumbria. | |
| Postmortem fails to ascertain cause of death. | |
| Poppi’s parents arrested and formally interviewed. Poppi’s father, Paul Worthington, is questioned on suspicion of sexually assaulting his daughter – an allegation he denies. | |
| The high court refuses to make public a fact-finding judgment surrounding Poppi’s death in case it prejudices any criminal trial. | |
| The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) begins an investigation into how the Cumbria force handled its inquiry into the death. | |
| An inquest lasting just seven minutes determines Poppi’s death is “unexplained”. No other details are revealed. | |
| The senior coroner for Cumbria, David Roberts, confirms he will ask for a fresh inquest in a written reply to lawyers representing various media organisations who argued the October hearing was insufficient and therefore unlawful. | |
| Cumbria police announce no charges will be brought against anyone over Poppi’s death. | |
| Paul Worthington is granted a review of the March 2014 medical evidence, which further delays publication of the original high court fact-finding judgment. | |
| High court judges order a fresh inquest after the first hearing deemed “irregular”. | |
| Justice Peter Jackson releases parts of his original fact-finding judgement, which reveal that Cumbria police did not conduct any “real” investigation into Poppi’s death for nine months despite a senior pathologist raising concerns the girl’s injuries were caused by “a penetrative sexual assault”. | |
| Family court judge states that Poppi was sexually assaulted by her father shortly before her sudden death. | |
| Full three-week inquest into Poppi’s death due to take place. | |
| The second inquest starts at County Hall, Kendal. | |
| HM senior coroner for Cumbria, David Roberts, rules that Poppi died after being suffocated after being sexually abused by her father. | |
| Worthington has always maintained his innocence and in November 2016 the Crown Prosecution Service assessed the available evidence and concluded there was no realistic prospect of conviction. | Worthington has always maintained his innocence and in November 2016 the Crown Prosecution Service assessed the available evidence and concluded there was no realistic prospect of conviction. |
| The inquest in Kendal was the second coronial investigation into Poppi’s death on 12 December 2012. | The inquest in Kendal was the second coronial investigation into Poppi’s death on 12 December 2012. |
| The toddler’s first inquest in October 2014 was quashed by the high court and deemed “irregular” after it lasted just seven minutes and called no evidence in order to conclude that Poppi’s death was “unascertained”. | The toddler’s first inquest in October 2014 was quashed by the high court and deemed “irregular” after it lasted just seven minutes and called no evidence in order to conclude that Poppi’s death was “unascertained”. |
| Sustained media pressure eventually led to the second inquest, as well as proceedings in the family court, where the media were able to report in early 2016 that a high court judge had ruled that Worthington had probably sexually assaulted his daughter. | Sustained media pressure eventually led to the second inquest, as well as proceedings in the family court, where the media were able to report in early 2016 that a high court judge had ruled that Worthington had probably sexually assaulted his daughter. |
| Forced to give evidence at his daughter’s second inquest, Worthington, a supermarket worker, appeared behind a screen shielding him from the public gallery, after claiming he feared for his life. | Forced to give evidence at his daughter’s second inquest, Worthington, a supermarket worker, appeared behind a screen shielding him from the public gallery, after claiming he feared for his life. |
| He refused to answer 252 questions as he exercised his legal right to not say anything that might incriminate himself. Instead he relied on previous statements he had given to police and the family court. | He refused to answer 252 questions as he exercised his legal right to not say anything that might incriminate himself. Instead he relied on previous statements he had given to police and the family court. |
| Poppi’s mother told the inquest she had been asleep downstairs in the early hours of 12 December 2012 when she was woken up by Poppi screaming. Worthington came down and got a fresh nappy, and later told police he had put Poppi in his bed and she had settled by the time he had gone back up, but that when he had reached out in bed to touch her five or 10 minutes later she had been limp or floppy. | Poppi’s mother told the inquest she had been asleep downstairs in the early hours of 12 December 2012 when she was woken up by Poppi screaming. Worthington came down and got a fresh nappy, and later told police he had put Poppi in his bed and she had settled by the time he had gone back up, but that when he had reached out in bed to touch her five or 10 minutes later she had been limp or floppy. |
| He then rushed downstairs and the child’s mother called an ambulance. | He then rushed downstairs and the child’s mother called an ambulance. |
| Paramedics carried out a “scoop and run”, delivering the apparently lifeless girl to Furness general hospital at 6.11am, but she never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead shortly after 7am. | Paramedics carried out a “scoop and run”, delivering the apparently lifeless girl to Furness general hospital at 6.11am, but she never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead shortly after 7am. |
| Medics noted the child was bleeding from her bottom. | Medics noted the child was bleeding from her bottom. |
| In January 2016 – as part of family court proceedings involving Poppi’s siblings – a judge revealed his findings that Worthington had probably sexually assaulted his daughter by anal penetration shortly before her death. | In January 2016 – as part of family court proceedings involving Poppi’s siblings – a judge revealed his findings that Worthington had probably sexually assaulted his daughter by anal penetration shortly before her death. |
| An array of expert medical witnesses entered the witness box at Kendal town hall as the inquest was told Poppi’s cause of death remained “unascertained”. | An array of expert medical witnesses entered the witness box at Kendal town hall as the inquest was told Poppi’s cause of death remained “unascertained”. |
| The postmortem examination findings of the pathologist Dr Alison Armour – that Poppi had been penetrated and had tears in her bottom – were hotly disputed. | The postmortem examination findings of the pathologist Dr Alison Armour – that Poppi had been penetrated and had tears in her bottom – were hotly disputed. |
| The inquest also heard that Cumbria police’s investigation into the death had been so botched that vital evidence had been lost and exactly what had happened to Poppi would never be known. | The inquest also heard that Cumbria police’s investigation into the death had been so botched that vital evidence had been lost and exactly what had happened to Poppi would never be known. |
| The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) last year said senior detectives were “unstructured and disorganised”, and highlighted the lengthy delay in a criminal investigation taking place “despite there being significant suspicious circumstances from the outset”. | The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) last year said senior detectives were “unstructured and disorganised”, and highlighted the lengthy delay in a criminal investigation taking place “despite there being significant suspicious circumstances from the outset”. |
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