Police blunders that destroyed hope of justice

Nappies, clothes, stained ambulance and hospital materials, some which showed signs of blood, were not collected for forensic analysis

The family home was not secured. Poppi’s last nappy – potentially vital evidence – was lost even though officers were at the house

The laptop Paul Worthington used to watch pornography was lost. So were Poppi’s clothes and bedding, and ‘any possibly penetrative item’

Neither of the senior investigating officers visited the house

Officers failed to carry out a reconstruction with the parents

Forensic medical examinations were not carried out at the time of death

Police did not consult a paediatrician with specialist knowledge of sexual abuse

The initial views of pathologist Dr Alison Armour, who conducted the post-mortem examination, were not passed to social workers

The parents were not interviewed until eight months after the death

There was no examination of either parent’s phone or Facebook account

Samples that were taken were not sent for analysis until police saw the grossly delayed post-mortem report

Key witnesses were not asked for statements until September 2013 – nine months after Poppi’s death

Detective Inspector Amanda Sadler, who was responsible for the police inquiry, had not been trained to investigate child death