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Babes in Wood father on arrest | Babes in Wood father on arrest |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The father of a girl murdered 23 years ago has told of his ordeal after being arrested on suspicion of abusing her. | |
The deaths of Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway in Brighton became known as the Babes in the Woods murders. | |
Barrie Fellows, from Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, was arrested in April but police dropped the case last week. | |
He said he was treated in a degrading way by Sussex Police and wanted a full apology. The force said it had a duty to investigate allegations of abuse. | He said he was treated in a degrading way by Sussex Police and wanted a full apology. The force said it had a duty to investigate allegations of abuse. |
Mr Fellows said he was in a state of "total shock" when he was arrested. | Mr Fellows said he was in a state of "total shock" when he was arrested. |
'Serious allegations' | |
He said: "They took away my trousers. I wasn't allowed to wear them because they had a cord in them and I might be possibly hanging myself in the cell. | He said: "They took away my trousers. I wasn't allowed to wear them because they had a cord in them and I might be possibly hanging myself in the cell. |
"I thought: 'How ridiculous, how degrading.'" | "I thought: 'How ridiculous, how degrading.'" |
I'll never ever forget my beautiful girl, ever. I used to worship her. I worshipped the the ground she walked on Barrie Fellows | I'll never ever forget my beautiful girl, ever. I used to worship her. I worshipped the the ground she walked on Barrie Fellows |
Mr Fellows said he was held up to five hours by the police, but the interview only lasted 20 minutes. | Mr Fellows said he was held up to five hours by the police, but the interview only lasted 20 minutes. |
He said: "They should have knocked on my door or rung me and said: 'Mr Fellows, do you mind if we come in, have a look around, take a few things away, take them to a professional who can examine this and examine that? Would you mind coming down to the police station and making a statement?' | He said: "They should have knocked on my door or rung me and said: 'Mr Fellows, do you mind if we come in, have a look around, take a few things away, take them to a professional who can examine this and examine that? Would you mind coming down to the police station and making a statement?' |
"I would have been perfectly all right with that, rather than arrest me in front of all my neighbours and take me away in a police car." | "I would have been perfectly all right with that, rather than arrest me in front of all my neighbours and take me away in a police car." |
Mr Fellows added: "I'll never ever forget my beautiful girl, ever. I used to worship her. I worshipped the the ground she walked on. There's never a day goes by when I don't think about that little girl." | Mr Fellows added: "I'll never ever forget my beautiful girl, ever. I used to worship her. I worshipped the the ground she walked on. There's never a day goes by when I don't think about that little girl." |
Last week, Sussex Police said that two men arrested over claims of sexual offences against Nicola, had been stood down from bail. | Last week, Sussex Police said that two men arrested over claims of sexual offences against Nicola, had been stood down from bail. |
Mr Fellows, 59, and Douglas Judd, 44, of Brighton, were arrested in April. | |
A spokesman for the force said: "When there are serious allegations made - in this case alleging that sexual crimes had been committed against a child - the public rightly expect us to investigate. | A spokesman for the force said: "When there are serious allegations made - in this case alleging that sexual crimes had been committed against a child - the public rightly expect us to investigate. |
"After receiving information we arrested and interviewed two men. | "After receiving information we arrested and interviewed two men. |
"That process, and the inquiries that followed, have enabled us to decide we will not be taking action against either man." | "That process, and the inquiries that followed, have enabled us to decide we will not be taking action against either man." |
Case review | Case review |
The force said the abuse investigation had been "quite distinct from the ongoing unresolved inquiry into the Wild Park murders, commonly known as the 'Babes in the Wood' murders". | The force said the abuse investigation had been "quite distinct from the ongoing unresolved inquiry into the Wild Park murders, commonly known as the 'Babes in the Wood' murders". |
Nine-year-old Nicola and 10-year-old Karen, both from Moulsecoomb, were last seen alive on the afternoon of 9 October 1986. Their bodies were found at Wild Park the next day. They had been strangled. | |
Russell Bishop, a labourer who knew both girls and their families and had helped in the search, was acquitted of the murders the following year. | Russell Bishop, a labourer who knew both girls and their families and had helped in the search, was acquitted of the murders the following year. |
After a review of the case, Sussex Police said in 2006 that there was not enough new evidence to prosecute any possible suspects. | After a review of the case, Sussex Police said in 2006 that there was not enough new evidence to prosecute any possible suspects. |
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