The sex abuse trial against former Labour Peer Lord Janner, who died in December, has been formally dropped by prosecutors.
The 87-year-old, who was suffering from severe dementia, had been accused of a string of child sex allegations dating back to the 1970s.
Last year, the Crown Prosecution Service admitted it had missed numerous opportunities to prosecute the former MP, but ruled that his ill health meant he was unfit to stand trial.
But that decision was challenged by some of the alleged victims and prosecutors embarked on a “trial of fact” to determine whether Janner was responsible for the crimes he had been accused of.
Following his death, it was suggested the case might continue, but at a short hearing at the Old Bailey on Friday, prosecutors announced that they were formally closing the case.
Richard Whittam QC told the court: “Ordinarily death brings a criminal prosecution to an end. There is no person to be tried and they could not get a fair trial.”
