A FATHER has told of his living nightmare after being arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing his daughter, a victim of the notorious 1986 Babes in the Wood murders.

Barrie Fellows, of Great Sutton, was arrested on April 7 along with 44-year-old Douglas Judd, from Brighton, in a co-ordinated operation by Sussex Police.

But on Thursday police confirmed that they were dropping the case and that both men would not face any action.

Mr Fellows, close to tears, said his arrest ordeal was like losing his murdered daughter Nicola all over again and criticised the way police handled the situation.

The 59-year-old said: “Seven or eight officers arrived about 7.30am, just as I was getting ready for work.

“It was a complete shock, out of the blue. It really hurt. It brought the memories flooding back of when my little girl was murdered. It’s like I’m reliving it all over again.”

Mr Fellows, a father of eight, added: “I had to take five weeks sick leave. I lost money, my dignity, it’s not nice. My children are my life. I feel like I’ve gone back 23 years.

He added: “All I did was lose my little girl.

Mr Fellows accused the police of not acting sensitively. He said: “I accept they (the police) did their job, but they could have handled it more sensitively. It was a complete waste of resources, they could have been handling a proper abuse case.”

During Mr Fellow’s arrest officers seized a laptop, a computer, videos, DVDs and a mobile phone.

Mr Fellows claims the computer has not been returned in working order.

But the supermarket worker was full of praise for the support he and his family have received.

He said: “The whole of the town has been on our side, I’d like to thank everyone for their support.”

His wife, Karen, added: “He is a lovely, kind family man who wouldn’t harm anyone.”

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “When there are serious allegations made – in this case alleging that sexual crimes had been committed against a child – the public rightly expect us to investigate.

“After receiving information we arrested and interviewed two men.

“That process, and the inquiries that followed, have enabled us to decide we will not be taking action against either man.”

The police said the abuse investigation was ‘quite distinct from the ongoing unresolved inquiry into the Wild Park murders’.

The strangled bodies of Nicola Fellows, 10, and her friend Karen Hadaway, nine, were found in Wild Park, Brighton, in October 1986.

Suspect Russell Bishop, 19, was acquitted of the murders the following year.

Bishop is currently serving a life sentence for the kidnapping, indecent assault and attempted murder of a seven-year-old girl from Brighton in 1990.