A FATHER blamed for the death of his baby daughter by a coroner will not be prosecuted.

Crown Prosecution Service lawyers have reviewed the case against Gary Hughes for a third time and again decided there is insufficient evidence to take it to court.

At an inquest in July, Hartlepool coroner Malcolm Donnelly ruled nine-month-old Abbie Jade Hughes had been unlawfully killed by Mr Hughes and sent off his findings to the CPS.

But after a lengthy review of the case, the CPS has adjudged there is no realistic prospect of securing a conviction against 20-year-old Mr Hughes.

Mr Hughes was arrested and questioned after Abbie's death last year and a file was twice submitted to the CPS, but no charges were brought against him.

A spokesman said last night: "The Crown Prosecution Service has reconsidered the events leading to the tragic death of Abbie Hughes, in the light of the evidence given at the inquest, and further evidence supplied by Cleveland Police.

"The decision remains the same - there is insufficient evidence to give a realistic prospect of a conviction against Gary Hughes for any offence in relation to these tragic events."

Abbie died on July 7 last year, nine days after she was taken to hospital for the third time in six months following a scare when she was being fed by her father. The inquest heard how Mr Hughes had been left in sole care of the infant each time she choked - on December 19, 2001; February 2 last year and again on June 28 at the family home in Hartlepool. Doctors discovered she had choked on her vomit and stopped breathing which caused fatal heart failure and brain damage. Mr Donnelly said at the end of the two-day inquest: "I am not going to enter into the realms of speculation as to why someone would indulge in brinkmanship with the health of his child, but I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that is what happened. "I consider that amounts to gross negligence and it is my verdict that Abbie was unlawfully killed. I am inevitably drawn to that conclusion." Detective Inspector Bob Bussey, who led the investigation into Abbie's death, said: "We are disappointed with the decision. "Cleveland Police has done everything possible in this case but we now have no other option but to accept the CPS ruling."