A man accused of the manslaughter of Louella Fletcher-Michie, the daughter of the Holby City actor John Michie, will not be giving evidence at his trial.

Fletcher-Michie, 24, took the class-A party drug 2-CP at the music festival Bestival, in Dorset, on 10 September 2017, and died an hour before her next birthday.

It is alleged she was given drugs by her boyfriend Ceon Broughton, 29, and died as her parents rushed to help her.

Broughton, of Enfield, north London, is on trial at Winchester crown court, where he denies manslaughter by gross negligence and supplying the drug.

His barrister, Stephen Kamlish QC, told the jury: “The defence are not calling or giving any evidence.”

The judge, Mr Justice Goose, asked Kamlish about the defendant’s decision: “Is he aware, in not giving evidence himself, that it may be open to the jury to draw such inferences from his failure as may be proper after directions from me?”

Kamlish replied: “He has been advised.”

The case was adjourned until Thursday.