AN MP has called for the father of a baby girl who died in suspicious circumstances to "do the right thing" and attend her inquest in person.

Lawyers for Paul Worthington have requested he be allowed to give evidence via videolink from a secret location during a second inquest into the death of his 13-month-old daughter Poppi.

They said the request was made based upon his claims that he is subjected to threats and intimidation on "a daily basis".

It comes after a high court judge, presiding over family court proceedings, ruled on balance of probability Mr Worthington carried out a serious sexual assault on the little girl shortly before she collapsed at her Barrow home on December 2012 and died in hospital.

Mr Worthington denies any wrongdoing.

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Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock said Mr Worthington should not be asking for special treatment during the formal hearing which is expected to be held in October.

Senior coroner for Cumbria, David Roberts, is expected to consider the request at a pre-inquest hearing into the death of Poppi Worthington at The Courts, in Carlisle, on Friday.

Mr Woodcock, who has backed the Evening Mail's #justiceforpoppi campaign and called for the launch of a government inquiry into failures surrounding the little girl's death, said: "The campaign for justice for Poppi has been a long one and I’m really pleased this new inquest is finally getting up and running.

"But I am troubled by the idea that Paul Worthington may be allowed to get away with not having to appear in person at the inquest.

"I hope the coroner does the right thing and rejects his request.”

Mr Roberts published a list of witnesses he expects to call to give evidence on Friday.

It includes Mr Worthington and Poppi's mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

It is hoped the new inquest, which is set to take place over 10 days, will result in an official verdict on Poppi's sudden death, after her original hearing, held at Barrow Town Hall in October 2014, took just seven minutes and heard no evidence.

Last week, the Crown Prosecution Service concluded nobody would face criminal charges over the little girl's death, based on the limited evidence available.

It prompted an apology from Cumbria's top cop, Chief Constable Jerry Graham, who described the force's investigation into Poppi's death as "flawed from start to finish" after detectives failed to secure the scene of her collapse, evidence was lost and the case was put in the 'deep freeze' for seven months.