POLICE have dropped an inquiry into the death of a Glasgow prostitute 20 years ago, the Evening Times can reveal.

Marjorie Roberts' body was found in the River Clyde, near Jamaica Bridge in August 1995.

At the time, detectives said it was unclear what had happened to the mother-of-three, but a probe was launched.

The 34-year-old's death came amid a spate of notorious prostitute murders in Glasgow in the 1990s.

Now, two decades on, we can reveal police have concluded "no criminality has been established" after they failed to determine whether she had fallen into the water or was pushed.

CCTV footage showed her with a man on the Broomielaw hours before her body was found.

But a Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "Following a detailed investigation into the death of Marjorie Roberts, no criminality could be established and a full report was submitted to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service."

The mother-of-three's body was discovered in August 1995. It is understood there were no marks on her body.

A police insider said: "There was nothing to say she didn't slip and fall into the water and drown. But officers had to leave no stone unturned given what was happening to working girls in the city at the time."

Weeks later, the same man was accused of trying to push a prostitute into the river. The victim managed to get away and flagged down a taxi driver, but she didn't want to take any a

ction over the incident.

A former senior policeman told the Evening Times the circumstances of Marjorie's death were "highly suspicious."

Graeme Pearson MSP said: "It would have been quite difficult for the

detectives to work out if it was a death or a murder, at the time. Unless you have evidence of criminality, you have to make a decision.

"And with there being no marks on her body, and no one having seen anything, it's open to you to decide it was not murder."

During the 1990s, there was a spate of street prostitute killings and police were even forced to deny fears there was a serial killer targeting vice girls.

In 1991, Diane McInally, 23 was found battered to death in Pollok Park.She was said to be so disfigured she could be identified only by fingerprints.

Two years later, Karen McGregor, a 26-year-old mother-of-two, was beaten and throttled. Her body was found in bushes near the SECC.

A man was tried for the killing but the jury returned a Not Proven verdict.

In June 1995, Leona McGovern was throttled and stabbed. The 25-year-old's body was found around 200 yards from Glasgow's red light district, near Anderston.

A man was cleared of her murder after his defence team put forward the identity of another man they said killed her.

The following year, Jacqueline Gallagher's body was found in Bowling, West Dunbartonshire. The 26-year-old was last seen alive in the early hours on June 24, 1996 in Glasgow city centre.

She had been strangled and battered repeatedly. One of her client's was tried and cleared of the murder eight years later.

The police spokeswoman added: "Each of these cases have been investigated to the highest possible standard. Significant resources have been dedicated in attempt to bring those responsible to justice.

"While these cases remain unresolved, they will be subject of constant review. We would appeal for anyone who has any information about any of these cases to come forward. "