TV news presenter in clear over nude pictures

No action is to be taken against the television newsreader Julia Somerville and her architect boyfriend Jeremy Dixon over family snapshots, police said last night.

Miss Somerville, a 48-year-old mother of two, had strenuously denied any wrongdoing. She expressed relief that a month-long investigation was over after a statement from Scotland Yard.

She and Mr Dixon, 56, were arrested on 2 November after he collected a film, including photographs of her seven-year-old daughter in the bath, from a branch of Boots the Chemist. A Boots technician had reported the couple to the police.

Miss Somerville, of Muswell Hill, north London, and Mr Dixon were questioned separately by police before being released on bail.

The ITN newsreader, who fought a battle against cancer, said last night: "There has been a deplorable invasion of my privacy and that of my family.

"However, I have received a tremendous amount of support from my friends and colleagues and from the public throughout this experience and I would like to express my thanks for that. I welcome [the] decision and I have nothing further to say about the matter.

"I have given the police a full explanation. I am deeply distressed that such an untrue allegation should have been made public when it was so likely to cause unhappiness to my children."

Mr Dixon also denied any allegation of wrongdoing.

Scotland Yard said it was decided that no action would be taken on the advice of the Crown Prosecution Service. "The case was thoroughly investigated by experienced officers in the child pornography and paedophilia unit as well as officers from an expert child protection team," it said.

The Yard said it believed the Boots worker acted properly in bringing the matter to the attention of police.

"We wish to reassure the public the Metropolitan police have no interest in photos obviously taken in the course of normal family life."

Two weeks ago Scotland Yard launched an internal investigation into the leak to the media of details of Miss Somerville's and Mr Dixon's arrest over the incident.