UNITED KINGDOM

Police end 'Climate Gate' inquiry

The police investigation into the so-called ‘Climate Gate’ affair is over. Norfolk Constabulary says there is no realistic prospect of finding the culprit within the statutory time limit of three years since the 2009 offence, writes Richard Black for the BBC.

The theft and release of emails from the University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit provoked a furore over the integrity of climate science. Police say the theft was "sophisticated and orchestrated", and that no-one at the university is implicated.

"The complex nature of this investigation means that we do not have a realistic prospect of identifying the offender or offenders and launching criminal proceedings within the time constraints imposed by law," said Detective Chief Superintendent Julian Gregory, the officer in charge of the investigation. "The international dimension of investigating the world wide web especially has proved extremely challenging."
Full report on the BBC site