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.

CPS to hire hundreds of new criminal lawyers across England and Wales

The body that prosecutes the majority of crimes in England and Wales has today launched a recruitment campaign to hire almost 400 new lawyers by the end of June.

13 January 2020 | Press Release , CPS News

New Year's Honours List 2020

Congratulation to our colleagues - past and present - who have been recognised for their contribution to the justice system in the New Year’s Honours List published on 27 December 2019.

27 December 2019 | Press Release , CPS, West Midlands News

CPS announces charge following the death of Harry Dunn

Chief Crown Prosecutor Janine Smith, said: “Following the death of Harry Dunn in Northamptonshire, the Crown Prosecution Service has today authorised Northamptonshire Police to charge Anne Sacoolas with causing death by dangerous driving.

20 December 2019 | Press Release , Driving offences , CPS, East Midlands News

CPS welcomes independent affirmation of rape charging decisions

HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) has today published the findings of its inspection into the CPS prosecution of rape cases. This will contribute to the Government’s comprehensive, end-to-end review of how rape and sexual violence cases are handled across the criminal justice system.

17 December 2019 | Press Release , Sexual offences , CPS News

CPS statement on Hillsborough verdict

David Duckenfield, the police commander in charge of safety during the Hillsborough stadium disaster, has today been found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter after a retrial at Preston Crown Court.

28 November 2019 | Press Release , CPS, Mersey-Cheshire News

CPS Says: CPS charging decisions have never been made on the basis of performance targets

We have not changed our policy on charging rape, or any other sexual crime. Whenever the legal test is met, our dedicated prosecutors will bring charges at the most serious level they can, no matter how challenging the case.

14 November 2019 | CPS says , Sexual offences , CPS News

FGM perpetrators have no hiding place

Suspects accused of allowing Female Genital Mutilation to be carried out can face prosecution in the UK, regardless of where in the world the procedure took place, the CPS confirmed today.

17 October 2019 | Press Release , Violent crime , CPS News

Fiyaz Mugal of TellMAMA on building trust through tackling hate crime

Fiyaz Mugal, co-chair of the CPS Community Accountability Forum and founder of TellMAMA, talks about building trust and confidence in communities through tackling hate crime

15 October 2019 | Article , Hate crime , CPS News

DPP calls for ‘stigmatising’ mental health laws to be overhauled

Out of date laws which stigmatise defendants with mental health issues should be overhauled, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has said today (Monday 14 October).

14 October 2019 | Press Release , CPS News

Howard League for Penal Reform: Parmoor Lecture

Thank you for inviting me this evening, I am honoured to follow a long line of distinguished speakers, several of them friends of mine, and all of us admirers of the Howard League.

14 October 2019 | Speech , 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 [email protected] (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: [email protected]
Telephone: 02920 803950

East Midlands
Graham Buchanan
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0115 852 3343

East of England
Gillian Andrews
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01245 455027

London (North and South)
Wendy Wyeth or Molly Barker
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 02380 673873

Mersey-Cheshire
Jackie Rand
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0151 239 6334

North East
Chris Black
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0191 260 4216

North West
Kerry Bell
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0161 827 4705

South East
Cheryl Pendry
Email: [email protected]
Telephones: 01227 655862 / 07876 390054

South West
Gary Cockram
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0117 930 2968

Thames and Chiltern
Angie Patton
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01189 513625

Wessex
Wessex Communications
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 02380 673873

West Midlands
Kofo Baptist
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0203 357 0625

Yorkshire and Humberside
Elizabeth Ogborn
Email: [email protected]
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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