Robert Black: No '˜charges' against child serial killer over Genette Tate murder

Robert Black died in prison in Northern Ireland in January

Police have admitted there will be no decision made on whether serial killer Robert Black would have been charged with the murder of 13-year-old Genette Tate, despite submitting a file to prosecutors.

Devon and Cornwall Police (CPS) had handed a dossier on the Scottish-born sex attacker, who died in January, to the Crown Prosecution Service in connection with the teenager’s death.

But in a statement, the force later said: “A file concerning this matter was sent to the CPS for a charging decision.

“This has been a long and complex inquiry and we have kept the family of Genette Tate informed throughout.

“We have now been advised by the CPS that they will not make a charging decision in respect of this case because of the suspect being deceased. This is in line with national policy on the matter from the CPS.”

Genette vanished from a rural lane in Aylesbeare, Devon, in 1978. Her body has never been found.

Black, 68, was serving multiple life sentences for themurders of four schoolgirls in the 1980s and a number of other crimes when he died in non-suspicious circumstances in Maghaberry jail in Northern Ireland.

Senior police sources had earlier said a “clear statement” from the CPS about charging Black was the closest Genette’s family would get to justice.