A DETECTIVE has described as regrettable' the decision not to prosecute a man who killed a teenage trespasser by holding him in a headlock.

Now Detective Inspector Pete Broome, based at Accrington CID, has written to the Crown Prosecution Service to establish why the case has now been closed.

John Butterworth, 51, killed Daniel Freeston, 18, after he got into his home in Water Street, Accrington, and demanded money last July.

Mr Butterworth, who no longer lives in the area, was initially charged with the teenager's murder, but the charges were dropped by prosecutors who said he had used reasonable force. However, the case was referred back to the CPS after an inquest into Daniel's death concluded that he had been unlawfully killed.

The inquest heard that Mr Butterworth had put Daniel, of Blackamoor Road, Blackburn, in a headlock for so long that he had stopped breathing, turned purple and lost consciousness. A post mortem examination revealed that the cause of death was pressure on the neck.

But chief crown prosecutor of CPS Lancashire, Bob Marshall, said the coroner's report had not altered his decision to prosecute Mr Butterworth.

He said at the time: "In the light of the coroner's report we are quite satisfied that on the strength of the evidence submitted to us our decision not to prosecute Mr Butterworth was correct."

DI Broome today revealed that he had still not received official notification of the decision. He said: "Unless there is a significant change of mind by the prosecuting authorities it would appear that the case is now regrettably closed."

Daniel's parents, Tracie Collier, of Church Street, Church, and Shaun Freeston, of Blackamoor Road, Blackburn, both said Mr Butterworth had suffered enough and should not be prosecuted for their son's death.