Vicar and daughter 'rebailed" after baby death arrest

A vicar and his daughter arrested and questioned on suspicion of child neglect have been rebailed by police.

The Rev Jim Percival, 65, the vicar of Holy Trinity CE Church in Freckleton, Lancashire, and his daughter, Ruth, 29, were first arrested in December 2014 after police were called to the vicarage following a report that a woman had given birth to a stillborn baby.

Police said at the time that following "numerous inquiries" the death of the baby boy was being treated as suspicious and the pair were initially questioned on suspicion of murder and conspiracy to conceal the birth of a child before they were bailed pending further inquiries.

Last month, Lancashire Police said a 65-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman from Freckleton faced no further action in relation to the above allegations but had since been arrested and questioned on suspicion of child neglect.

A police spokeswoman said on Tuesday that both suspects had been further rebailed to April 13.

Mr Percival's wife, Susan, 66, was also held in December 2014 on suspicion of conspiracy to conceal the birth of a child but three months later was told she faced no further action.

An inquest in Blackpool last April heard the boy, named Jonathan Percival, was born in the early hours of November 25 2015 but was pronounced dead a short time later.

The medical cause of death remained unascertained as the full post-mortem report was awaited, the coroner was told.

A further hearing is listed at Blackpool Coroner's Court on March 2.