inquiries

Last week, senior lawmakers from other German political parties -- including the conservative chairman of Germany's intelligence oversight committee -- accused AfD politicians of spying for Russia by filing scores of detailed parliamentary inquiries on sensitive subjects.

Some of those inquiries have resulted in consent orders, fines and, for one company, a lifetime industry ban.

Mr Hume said the delays in police inquiries were due to insufficient resourcing "amid a growing backlog of devices requiring examination in connection with online child abuse".

The Northumbria force said the case had been dropped due to "evidential difficulties" but inquiries into criminal damage outside the premises were ongoing.

In a statement, the force said: "We are continuing our inquiries and are keen to hear from anyone who knows more about what happened."