A HEARTBROKEN dad today urged prosecutors not to punish the man who caused his son's death and insisted: "He has suffered enough."

John Butterworth, 50, was accused of murdering Daniel Freeston after putting him in a headlock when the teenager got into his home in Water Street, Accrington, and demanded money last July.

But the charge was dropped in November after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided he had used reasonable force against the 18-year-old.

However, the case was this week referred back to the CPS after an inquest into Daniel's death concluded that he had been unlawfully killed.

The inquest heard that Mr Butterworth had put Daniel in a headlock for so long that he had stopped breathing, turned purple and lost consciousness.

A post mortem examination revealed the cause of death was pressure on the neck.

But today Daniel's dad, Shaun Freeston, 41, of Blackamoor Road, Blackburn, who was with him in hospital when he died, said Mr Butterworth had suffered enough.

He said: "I am sure Mr Butterworth has had as many sleepless nights as I have had over what happened on that night, and I am sure his world has been turned upside down as much as mine and my family's has.

"No matter what the outcome is from the CPS it will not bring Danny back, and Mr Butterworth has already started his sentence because he has got to live with what happened on that night for the rest of his life.

"I am sure he had no intentions of hurting Danny."

Mr Freeston added: "I know Danny would feel the same as me about this you can't go through life holding grudges and being bitter and twisted."

Daniel, who lived with his dad, was awaiting trial after pleading not guilty to a charge of rape and Mr Butterworth, known locally as Butty, was due to be a witness at the trial.

Mr Freeston, who works for a security firm in Manchester, said his son had never got the chance to clear his name over the rape allegation.

He said: "I put thousands of pounds of bail money up for Danny because I believed he had not raped any girl.

"He was devastated about the allegation and was looking forward to the trial so that he could clear his name."

Daniel, a former Moorhead High School pupil, had been at a party and was under the influence of alcohol and drugs when he went to Mr Butterworth's house in the early hours of Saturday, July 9, the inquest was told.

After knocking on the door and walking in, he demanded money and property from him. Mr Butterworth, who has since moved out of the area, forced the teenager out of his house and put him in the headlock, which proved fatal, the inquest was told.

At the inquest East Lancashire coroner, Michael Singleton, said: "It seems to me that there must have come a time when Daniel Freeston was no longer offering any resistance.

"In that time John Butterworth was no longer acting in self-defence and by continuing to apply pressure I am satisfied that amounts to an unlawful act."

Mr Singleton addedthat Mr Butterworth maintained he was acting in self defence.

He sasid: "It certainly seems that when Daniel Freeston was in the property making threats, he was entitled to use reasonable force to remove and restrain."

Detective Inspector Pete Broome said: "The matter is in the process of being referred back to the CPS. Clearly it does Mr Freeston immense credit to adopt the attitude he has and whilst the decision is for the CPS, considerations such as these may play a part in their decision making process."

Following the inquest a spokeswoman for the CPS said they were not able to comment until they had received the coroner's report.