THE mother of a 14-year-old girl who claims she was raped has hit out at police who took six weeks to contact potential witnesses.

And now, seven months after the alleged attack, police have decided to drop the case, saying there is “insufficient evidence” to prosecute.

Police were called after the girl confessed to her mum that she had been sexually attacked while drunk several weeks before. She added she was in such despair, she was also considering taking her own life.

Her 36-year-old mum told the Guardian: “She just said ‘I don’t want to live any more – I can’t take it’.”

The girl gave a video police interview, and her mum claims she had been told they would have to wait “weeks” if she wanted women officers to conduct it.

She said: “She gave them all the details, all the witnesses and their addresses and phone numbers and they took another six weeks to contact them to make an appointment.”

During this time the girl, according to her mother, was the target of verbal abuse, was spat at in the street and received threats – including some via Facebook, MSN and email – and was scared to leave home.

Police this week confirmed that a 16-year-old boy who was arrested on suspicion of rape and witness intimidation had been released from his police bail without charge.

The girl’s mother, who cannot be named as to protect the identity of her daughter, told the Guardian: “I’m just gutted. We’ve had so much grief because we went to the police.

“We thought we were doing the right thing. If we’d not bothered and just dealt with it ourselves... The police should have been there for us. She gave them all the information she could and they’ve just let us down by being slow.”

She added that when they first reported the incident, the police response was “all very upbeat and positive” and she was told they would receive regular updates on the investigation.

“But it just didn’t happen,” she said. “They did her interview and his interview and yes he was arrested and bailed, but it was just one big catalogue of hassle.”

An Essex Police spokesman said: “Police received reports on February 27 that a 14-year-old girl from Waltham Abbey was raped in the Walton Gardens area of the town on either January 4 or 5, 2008. A full investigation was conducted by the Harlow child abuse investigation unit.

“A 16-year-old boy, also from the Waltham Abbey area, was arrested on suspicion of rape on March 5, 2008, and released on bail pending further inquiries.”

The spokesman added: “Extensive inquiries were conducted however the youth, who was also arrested on suspicion of witness intimidation, was released from his bail as there was insufficient evidence to bring charges in either case.

“Essex Police recognises that rape can have a devastating affect on the victim. We have officers with a high degree of specialist training to investigate sexual offences and the investigation is always overseen by a senior detective.

“We advise all victims of any sexual offence to report the allegation to us as soon as possible to allow officers to gather as much evidence as possible to assist with the inquiry.”