THE murderer of Hanwell schoolgirl Alice Gross will never be brought to court, the Crown Prosecution says.

It confirmed today that prime suspect Arnis Zalkalns, whose body was found in woods shortly after a murder hunt began, would have been charged with the offence.

No-one else is being sought in connection with the killing.

Alice went missing on the afternoon of August 28 last year and Arnis Zalkalns, a Latvian-born builder from Ealing, featured prominently in police inquiries.

Though he was found dead before he could be arrested, significant public interest led to the CPS reviewing key evidence as it decided what further investigation, if any, might be appropriate.

Tim Thompson, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, said: "I have concluded that the evidence now available would have been sufficient to give rise to a realistic prospect of conviction for murder."

Det Chief Insp Andy Chalmers said: "I believe it was important for the CPS to assess the evidence the investigation team had found against him, to reassure Alice's family and the community who were so affected by her disappearance."

Alice's body was found on September 30, tied into the foetal position and inside dustbin bags, weighted down by bricks and tied to a bicycle wheel and six tree logs, placed in a pyramid formation.

DNA from a well-preserved cigarette butt was found metres from where Alice was found in the River Brent and it matched that of Zalkalns.

DNA evidence also strongly suggests that Zalkaln's body had been in contact with Alice's and, while there is no evidence to suggest a sexual offence took place, police are willing to believe this was the most likely motive.

The dustbin bags used to conceal Alice's body have been mechanically matched to a roll seized from Zalkaln's workplace, while an iPhone cover found in Zalkalns’ garden was identified as Alice's by her sister, though no serial number was on the case.

Zalkalns had previously served seven years in a Latvian prison for murdering his wife, though this was unknown to UK authorities until after Alice’s murder. Zalkalns also sexually assaulted another 14-year-old girl in 2009 at Boston Manor.

Though the girl did not wish to take her statement further at the time, police say she was extremely helpful in identifying Zalkalns during the investigation into Alice’s murder.

The police stress, however, that it is unlikely a conviction for the 2009 attack would have led to Zalkalns having to leave the country.