LONDON: No charges will be brought over a prank call to a hospital about the duchess of Cambridge, which was taken by a nurse who later took her own life, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced.

Australian presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian made the hoax call to the King Edward VII’s hospital in central London, posing as the queen and prince of Wales when Kate was being treated for a rare form of pregnancy sickness.

Nurse Jacintha Saldanha, who transferred them to a colleague, who then described Kate’s condition in detail, was found hanged a few days after the incident, sparking a backlash against the 2Day FM presenters.

The CPS said there was no evidence to support a charge of manslaughter.

Although it said that there was some evidence to warrant further investigation of offences under the Data Protection Act, the Malicious Communications Act 1988 and the Communications Act 2003, it added that this would not take place as any potential prosecution would not be in the public interest.

Malcolm McHaffie, deputy head of special crime at the CPS, said a number of issues had been taken into account in reaching its conclusion.

“It is not possible to extradite individuals from Australia in respect of the potential offences in question. However misguided, the telephone call was intended as a harmless prank,” he said.

“The consequences in this case were very sad. We send our sincere condolences to Jacintha Saldanha’s family.”