THREE Essex Police officers were subject to misconduct hearings after failing to prosecute a boy, 12, who had raped a girl, aged five.

The boy only got a caution after he admitting carrying out the assault, in 2011, on the daughter of a family friend.

Essex Police did not seek formal advice from the Crown Prosecution Service and issued the boy with a youth caution and did not put him on the sex offenders’ register.

Deputy Chief Constable Derek Benson authorised an investigation into the officers’ conduct early last year.

The case was referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission and three officers in the child abuse unit were served with gross misconduct notices.

The victim, now eight, has written a letter to the officers involved in the case, saying she was sad and angry, and felt they had “pushed her down”.

The victim’smother told the Mail on Sunday: “During a meeting with the regional chief prosecutor, we were told the CPS was disgusted at how our case had been dealt with.

“He confirmed that, had the case been presented to them as a formal advice file as it should have been, they would have prosecuted the offender.”

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “Three officers were subject of misconduct hearings and received written warnings. There were a number of recommendations that came out of the inquiry which have been progressed.

“The force cannot comment any further at this time.”