STUDLEY-based comedian Freddie Starr will not be prosecuted following allegations of sex offences.

The CPS has said there was "insufficient evidence" to prosecute the comedian who has been on bail after being been arrested by detectives investigating allegations of sexual abuse as part of Operation Yewtree.

Starr, 70, was first arrested in November 2012 as part of the operation, an inquiry which was set up following the Jimmy Savile abuse scandal.

Since then he has been re-arrested a number of times under a strand of the operation unrelated to Savile.

Baljit Ubhey, from the CPS, said that there was not enough evidence to prosecute after allegations by 13 individuals.

"Each allegation was considered on its own merits and we have concluded that the available evidence does not offer a realistic prospect of conviction for any of the alleged offences," she said.

"In relation to one further complainant, we have decided that although there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction, according to the Code for Crown Prosecutors, a prosecution would not be in the public interest."

The entertainer has maintained his innocence throughout the investigation.