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.

Charge rates show steady increase across all crime types as CPS publishes latest statistics

Today the CPS has published Q1 performance data which covers the three-month period from 1 April to 30 June 2022.

20 October 2022 | Press Release , Sexual offences, Domestic abuse, Hate crime , CPS News

New strangulation and suffocation laws will help protect victims

From today, prosecutors will have new powers to charge violent abusers with specific offences of non-fatal strangulation and non-fatal suffocation, as key measures in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 come into force.

07 June 2022 | Press Release , Domestic abuse, Violent crime , CPS News

‘There is no typical victim of domestic abuse’ CPS says, as it revises its legal guidance to challenge damaging myths and stereotypes

The notion there is a typical victim of domestic abuse is wrong, damaging and can prevent sufferers coming forward, the Crown Prosecution Service has said today.

04 April 2022 | Press Release , Domestic abuse , CPS News

Stalking analysis reveals domestic abuse link

Stalking is increasingly being recognised as a form of domestic abuse within the criminal justice system, with CPS analysis finding the majority of offences are committed by ex-partners.

04 December 2020 | Press Release , Domestic abuse , CPS News

CPS Says: the role of the CPS in deciding whether to charge an individual with a criminal offence

We have been asked questions about the role of the CPS in deciding whether to charge an individual with a criminal offence. The following information explains our role and approach. It is not a comment on any individual case.

16 February 2020 | CPS says , Domestic abuse , CPS News

Breast-ironing recognised as child cruelty and assault by CPS

Breast-ironing should be prosecuted as a form of child abuse, the CPS says in new guidance published today.

19 July 2019 | Press Release , Domestic abuse , CPS News

Letter to the Mail on Sunday on conditional cautions in domestic abuse cases from Max Hill QC, DPP

Very strict conditions underpin the use of conditional cautions in domestic abuse cases but the CPS is clear – this is not about letting offenders off the hook (Theresa May's local police force lets off wife beaters with a caution despite PM's pledge to get tough on domestic violence, Sunday 20 January).

24 January 2019 | CPS says , Domestic abuse , CPS News

Domestic abuse prosecutions supported by new framework

Measures which have already helped to drive up prosecutions in domestic abuse cases are set to be rolled out across England and Wales.

18 December 2018 | Press Release , Domestic abuse , CPS News

CPS report shows more offenders are being successfully prosecuted for sexual crimes than ever before

More defendants than ever before are being prosecuted and convicted for sexual offences across England and Wales, new figures reveal today.

10 October 2017 | News Item , Sexual offences, Cyber / online crime, Domestic abuse , CPS News

CPS makes commitment to male victims of sexual and domestic abuse

The Crown Prosecution Service has published its first ever public statement recognising the needs and experiences of male victims of offences including rape, domestic abuse, harassment, stalking and child sexual abuse.

06 September 2017 | News Item , Domestic abuse, Sexual offences , 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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