Attorney-General Robert McClelland agreed the case had been riddled with mistakes from the top down, he said the Government had no plans to apologise - and admitted not a single head would role over the affair.

Releasing the report today, Mr McClelland said mistakes had been made from the highest level down to the investigating officers but the Government would not go "on a witchhunt".

With bad news pouring in from retailers and exporters, American economists are scrambling to lower their forecasts for growth in the world's largest economy. 

Winter storms across the country appear to have dealt a final blow to retail sales as cash-strapped consumers stay home, and the US economy is now expected to post its worst performance in at least 27 years – and possibly since the Fifties.