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Cymru-Wales

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is the main prosecuting authority in England and Wales. We work in partnership with all agencies in the criminal justice system, especially closely with the police, although we are independent of them. The police will investigate crime and our role is to prepare and present cases to the courts.

Map of CPS Cymru-WalesThe CPS has 14 Areas across England and Wales. CPS Cymru-Wales is our Area. The CPS in Wales serves a population of over three million people and our local teams work alongside partner organisations in the four police force areas in Wales: Dyfed Powys, Gwent, North Wales and South Wales.

CPS Cymru-Wales employs around 280 members of staff, consisting of lawyers, paralegals and administrator.  We work remotely across a wide range of locations in Wales but our three main offices are in Cardiff, Mold and Swansea.

Our duty is to prosecute the right people for the right offences. We aim to act professionally and strive for excellence, continually looking to improve our service and the way we work.

We are committed to providing a high quality service in the Welsh or English language, on an equal basis.

CPS Cymru-Wales is headed by Chief Crown Prosecutor (CCP) Jenny Hopkins, whose responsibilities include: carrying out prosecutions; setting and maintaining professional and ethical standards; representing the CPS locally; contributing to national policy and strategy; and ensuring effective employee relations.

The CCP is supported by a team of senior managers with expertise in legal and business management issues. On the legal side, support is provided by Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutors Iwan Jenkins and Huw Rogers. Rhian Thomas is the Area Business Manager and has responsibility for the business and operational delivery functions.

Jenny Hopkins, Chief Crown Prosecutor

Jenny Hopkins is Head of the Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division

Jenny grew up in Wales and was a solicitor in private practice before joining CPS London in 1998 as a Senior Crown Prosecutor.  She became a Legal Manager in CPS London before spending 5 years as a Unit Head in the Organised Crime Division.  She returned to CPS London as the Head of Homicide and in 2011 was appointed the Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor with responsibility for the Complex Casework Unit.

Between 2014 and 2018 Jenny was the Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS East of England Area before taking up her post as the Head of the Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division.  Jenny was appointed as the Chief Crown Prosecutor for Wales in May 2021.

 


Iwan Jenkins, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor

Iwan JenkinsIwan Jenkins joined the CPS in 1992 having worked as a criminal defence solicitor for several years.  He has led various teams and workstreams within CPS Cymru-Wales, including CC, RASSO, and CCU, and is currently acting DCCP with responsibility for CCU and MC work.

Iwan has been the area lead for several projects.  Recently, he led the engagement with Welsh Government in planning and delivering the changes brought about by the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Act 2020.  

Iwan qualified as a Higher Court Advocate in 1999 and has prosecuted trials in the Crown Court and appeared in the Court of Appeal.

In 2019 Iwan was appointed President of the Welsh Language Tribunal and is a regular contributor on legal issues in the Welsh Language media landscape.  

Huw Rogers, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor

Huw RogersHuw joined the CPS in 2004 after several years in private practice where he was head of the firm’s criminal department.  He has been Head of Complex Casework and RASSO in CPS South West before he joined CPS Wales in 2018.

Huw is experienced in prosecuting cases in both Crown and Magistrates’ Courts and is the Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor with responsibility for our work in the Magistrates’ Courts.

 


 

Rhian Thomas MBE, Area Business Manager 

Rhian ThomasRhian Thomas is the Area Business Manager and has responsibility for the business and operational delivery functions.

Having joined the CPS in 1989, Rhian has assumed several operational delivery roles including the Head of the Area Business Centre, a role Rhian held from the introduction of the Business Centres across the CPS in 2011 until 2022.

Rhian was awarded an MBE in 2022 for her services to the Criminal Justice System.

 

The Magistrates’ Court Unit prosecutes a wide range of offences where the maximum sentence for each offence does not exceed six months' imprisonment or one year if two or more relevant offences are to be considered. All cases commence in the magistrates’ court.

The Crown Court Unit deals with more serious cases and those likely to receive higher penalties. Our Crown Court Unit includes teams who deal with complex casework and rape and serious sexual offences.

Working with you

Wales is a vibrant and diverse country with a unique identity.  

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in Wales is committed to engaging with local communities in order to improve our services and we want to provide a fair service for everyone. It is important that people understand how the criminal justice system works and how we come to our decisions.  All too often, people do not know who we are or understand what we do. The CPS in Wales is committed to changing this and having a visible presence. Across Wales, we aim to work with all groups and communities to ensure that new policies adopted by the CPS reflect the diverse society we live in and that our operations are informed by the needs of the communities we serve. There are a number of ways in which we seek to involve local communities in the way we plan and deliver our services.

Local Scrutiny and Involvement Panels

Local Scrutiny Involvement Panels (LSIPs) are a key mechanism by which we engage with local communities and their representatives to scrutinise finalised CPS casework and also, on occasions, the standard of service given to victims by the CPS in accordance with CPS policy and the Victim’s Code. The feedback we receive through LSIPs helps us improve how we explain our decisions and how we engage with victims and their communities. Some of the cases they scrutinise include hate crime cases where the offender has either demonstrated or been motivated by hostility based on race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or Transgender identity. 

There are three LSIPs. One covering South Wales and Gwent police force area; one for North Wales police and one for Dyfed Powys police. The Panels aim to: 

  • Ensure that CPS Cymru-Wales considers the views of communities in order to identify local concerns.
  • Undertake scrutiny of Hate Crime, Violence Against Women and cases of local interest to improve local performance and support victims and witnesses effectively.
  • Undertake consultation with local communities on strategies and plans with specific reference to improving policy, casework, employment and training.

Anti-Racism Action Plan launched for Criminal Justice in Wales (September 2022)

Find out more about the Anti-Racism Action Plan

Victims and Witnesses

We are committed to dealing with Victims and Witnesses with respect. We understand being a victim or witness of crime can be difficult and how vulnerable some people may feel. We will support them through the process so that they can give their best evidence at court.

We prosecute cases on behalf of all our communities and want communities to continue to have confidence in their local justice system, to believe their interests are fairly represented and that justice is seen to be done.

We will provide an equal service in the Welsh or English language. 

Victims' Right to Review

The VRR scheme makes it easier for victims to seek a review of a CPS decision not to bring charges or to terminate proceedings.

If you are a victim seeking to exercise your right to request a review of a CPS decision not to bring charges, discontinue proceedings or offer no evidence in a case please click here.

Cymru-Wales contact point for Victims' Right to Review enquiries:
Email: [email protected]
Telephone (FOR VRR ENQUIRIES ONLY - do not use this number to contact the CPS's Cardiff office - see below): 02920 803966

Please note that the scheme applies only in relation to qualifying decisions made on or after 5 June 2013.

Hawl Dioddefwyr i Adolygiad

Contact us

Cardiff Office (including Area Headquarters)
20th Floor, Capital Tower
Greyfriars Road
Cardiff, CF10 3PL
Telephone: 02920 803800

Mold office
Ty Glyndwr (Unit 19)
Mold Business Park
Wrexham Road
Mold, CH7 1XP
Telephone: 01352 918000

Swansea office
Civic Centre
Oystermouth Road
Swansea
SA1 3SN
Tel: 01792 452900

News Centre

For local and regional media enquiries please contact

Area Communications Manager
Richard Paull
Telephone: 0292 080 3950
Email: [email protected]

If you are a member of the national media, please call the CPS Press Office on 020 3357 0906 or email [email protected]

Out of hours: 020 3357 0913 for emergency media queries only.

Contact information for the Defence:

If you have a cjsm.net email account, please use the following:

For cases in North Wales, Aberystwyth and Llandrindod Wells Courts:  [email protected]              

For cases in South East Wales: [email protected]

For cases in Swansea Courts: [email protected]

For cases being dealt with by the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit: [email protected]

Area Fraud Centre - 029 20 923734
Area Fraud Centre mailbox - [email protected]

Please note that these cjsm.net email addresses are not accessible to the public - they are secure addresses for use in the criminal justice system.

If you do not have a cjsm.net account you may use the following addresses, but please be aware that these may not be secure and should therefore not be used for sending sensitive case material:

For cases in North Wales, Aberystwyth and Llandrindod Wells Courts: [email protected]

For cases in South East Wales: [email protected]

For cases in Swansea Courts: [email protected]

For cases being dealt with by the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit: [email protected]

Please email [email protected] if you would like more information about the work of the CPS in Wales, but please note:

  • We do not provide legal advice
  • If you have feedback or a complaint, please use the complaints link
  • Please do not include attachments in your email
  • We do not offer voluntary work, internships or job shadowing placements at CPS Cymru-Wales.

Further reading

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