Pathologist 'strongly suspected' toddler Poppi Worthington was assaulted before death

A coroner's inquest has heard that the toddler Poppi Worthington was probably sexually abused before she died.

The hearing into the death of 13-month-old heard harrowing evidence as Home Office pathologist Alison Armour said she had raised concerns with police that the girl had been abused.

Her evidence came as images were released of the cot where Poppi spent her final hours.

Armour said there was no record of any accident to explain why Poppi had leg injuries which appeared after her death.

"In cases where there are ­fractures with no history of accidental trauma and it is picked up at the time of death, this is strongly ­suspicious of child abuse," Armour said.

She also found bruising to the back of Poppi's throat and internal and external injuries to the rectum area, the Mirror reported.

She said that blood found in and around Poppi's nose was "a very concerning feature" and that constipation that was first thought to have contributed to Poppi's death were "consistent with penetration," she told the court.

Poppi collapsed at her home in Barrow-on-Furness, Cumbria, on 11 December 2012, and died in hospital.

No one has ever been prosecuted although a High Court judge ruled in family court proceedings in 2016 that the toddler's father, Paul Worthington, 49, probably sexually assaulted her.

He denies any wrongdoing, although in evidence he gave to the inquest at Kendal Coroner's Court, he refused to answer more than 250 questions.

He has always denied that any assault took place and the CPS have not prosecuted him, saying that there is "insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction".

A botched Cumbria Police investigation into Poppi's death was criticised in an Independent Police Complaints Committee (IPCC) report that highlighted delays in processing evidence.

The inquest continues.