A jilted ex-boyfriend who claimed voices in his head told him to stab his former lover will not stand trial accused of sexually assaulting a child.

Clifford Mills, 49, from Shirley, was jailed for 21 years last month after a jury took just 90 minutes to find him guilty of murdering Shirley grandmother Lorna Smith.

The 45-year-old was killed after being invited to Mills' house to help him with some paperwork.

Her body was found in his flat in Morrish Road, Brixton, on February 2 last year.

At the time of the killing Mills was on bail accused of sexually assaulting a girl under 13.

The Crown Prosecution Service first decided they would continue with a trial on that charge despite his conviction for murder.

But yesterday, prosecutor Zoe Johnson said it had now been decided to drop the case.

She said: "The decision has been reviewed with a particular eye to the public interest and given that a total of five children would have to give evidence, together with the fact that even if he were to be convicted he would only receive a concurrent sentence, for public interest reasons the decision has been finally made to offer no evidence."

The court heard the complainant and her family have been consulted about the decision.

The Common Serjeant of London, Judge Brian Barker QC, said: "This is an appropriate decision in the circumstances. It is not in the public interest for this matter to be proceeded with."