CPS News Centre

Criminal cases prosecuted by the CPS are in the news every day, along with a range of issues relating to our work – from violence against women and girls and hate crime, to support for victims and witnesses, statistics and speeches.

To ensure greater openness in the reporting of criminal proceedings, the CPS, the police and media representatives developed a joint protocol for working together.

Here you can find our latest news stories and search for others. You can also find additional details about a number of high-profile cases and the work of the CPS.

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Media enquiries

National, international and specialist media should contact the main 24-hour press office.

Local media should contact their Area Communications Manager during normal working hours.

Max Hill QC takes up post as Director of Public Prosecutions

Max Hill QC has today (Thu 1 Nov) taken up post as the Director of Public Prosecutions for the Crown Prosecution Service.

01 November 2018 | Press Release , CPS News

Publication of revised Code for Crown Prosecutors

REVISIONS to the Code for Crown Prosecutors have been unveiled today by Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders.

24 October 2018 | Press Release , CPS News

CPS response to Sunday Telegraph letter, 21 October 2018

The CPS was approached by the Sunday Telegraph to provide a response to a letter from Liam Allan and Samuel Armstrong, which ran on 21 October 2018. The following response was provided, but not included by the Sunday Telegraph in its coverage.

21 October 2018 | CPS says , CPS News

Tougher hate crime sentences at record levels

Courts are handing out tougher sentences in more than two-thirds of hate crime cases for the first time, a Crown Prosecution Service report published today (Tue 16 Oct) reveals.

16 October 2018 | Press Release , Hate crime , CPS News

Disabled victims of hate crime receiving improved service from prosecutors - report

A network of prosecutors dedicated to tackling hate crime has helped the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) improve the experience of disabled victims, an inspection report has found.

09 October 2018 | Press Release , Hate crime , CPS News

CPS warning for teenagers on the dangers of carrying knives

Teenagers have been warned about the consequences of carrying knives – even if they never intend to use them.

05 October 2018 | Press Release , Violent crime , CPS News

Victims get clearer guidance on telling courts about impact of crime

Clearer guidance to ensure victims of crime have the chance to speak in court about the impact offending has had on their lives has been published today.

13 September 2018 |

CPS Statement - Salisbury

Statement from Sue Hemming, CPS Director of Legal Services, on the Salisbury incident.

05 September 2018 |

Hillsborough prosecutions - update

The Crown Prosecution Service has today confirmed that criminal charges against Norman Bettison in respect of the Hillsborough disaster have been discontinued.

The decision was taken following a review of the evidence and was confirmed at a hearing at Preston Crown Court this morning.

21 August 2018 | Press Release , CPS News

Statement following the publication of the Justice Select Committee report on Disclosure

The Crown Prosecution Service and the National Police Chiefs Council have today (20 July) issued a joint response into the Justice Select Committee Report over Disclosure of evidence in criminal cases.

20 July 2018 | Press Release , CPS News

Search CPS News

In-depth - a deeper look at high-profile cases and the work of the CPS

'You can trust me, I'm a police officer' couldn't be further from the truth
How 13 women's testimonies secured the fate of serial rapist David Carrick
How a criminal case works
From reporting to appeals - how a criminal case works, end-to-end.
How we make our decisions
How does the CPS make the decision to prosecute - or not?
Our criminal justice partners
We don't just work with the police - here's a look at our many partners within the criminal justice system.
Transforming our service to victims at the CPS
Being a victim of crime can be deeply traumatic, and for those who find themselves in the criminal justice system the process can feel overwhelming, unfamiliar, and incredibly challenging.

Articles and speeches

Read articles and speeches from the CPS on matters of relevance to the Criminal Justice System

Articles and Speeches

CPS Says

The CPS position on major issues in the news, our response to inaccuracies in media reports and our letters to the media.

CPS Says...

Contacts: National media

Please note that our Press Office is not able to deal with issues or queries from members of the public - these contact details are for accredited journalists ONLY. Do not call this number unless you a member of the press. For all general enquiries, please call the General Enquiries line: 020 3357 0899 or 020 3357 0000 (09:00-17:00, Monday-Friday) or visit contact.cps.gov.uk.

If you are a national or international journalist with a media enquiry, you can contact the CPS Press Office on 020 3357 0906 or email cps.pressoffice@cps.gov.uk (9am-5pm weekdays only).

For out-of-hours media enquiries please call 020 3357 0906 to reach the duty press officer.

Contacts: Local media

Cymru/Wales
Richard Paull
Email: richard.paull@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 02920 803950

East Midlands
Graham Buchanan
Email: Graham.Buchanan@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 0115 852 3343

East of England
Gillian Andrews
Email: gillian.andrews@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 01245 455027

London (North and South)
Wendy Wyeth or Molly Barker
Email: london.communications@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 02380 673873

Mersey-Cheshire
Jackie Rand
Email: jackie.rand@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 0151 239 6334

North East
Chris Black
Email: chris.black@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 0191 260 4216

North West
Kerry Bell
Email: kerry.bell@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 0161 827 4705

South East
Cheryl Pendry
Email: cheryl.pendry@cps.gov.uk
Telephones: 01227 655862 / 07876 390054

South West
Gary Cockram
Email: gary.cockram@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 0117 930 2968

Thames and Chiltern
Angie Patton
Email: Angie.Patton@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 01189 513625

Wessex
Wessex Communications
Email: wessex.communications@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 02380 673873

West Midlands
Kofo Baptist
Email: kofo.baptist@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 0203 357 0625

Yorkshire and Humberside
Elizabeth Ogborn
Email: elizabeth.ogborn@cps.gov.uk
Telephones: 0113 290 2839 / 07500 835186

Our social media policy

If you follow us on social media, you can expect posts covering some or all of the following:

Operational updates on decisions to prosecute or take no further action;
Reactions and statements on trial outcomes;
Policy updates from the Director of Public Prosecutions and other prosecutors;
Updates on media appearances by CPS staff
Content that explains the role of the CPS and how we work
Highlighting of relevant work by our criminal justice partners and other stakeholders

We will aim to be fair and accurate in all the information we publish. We will aim to correct any inaccuracies as soon as possible.

We are unable to monitor social media round the clock. We are not able to engage with all those who seek a response from us due to resources but also due to privacy and the sensitive nature of some of our work. The best way to contact the CPS is through our website.

Please do not try to report crime using social media. To report crime, please call 101 or visit your local police station. In an emergency, always call 999.

If you follow us on social media we will not automatically follow you back. Being followed by us does not imply endorsement of any kind.

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