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.

Sign up for a regular newsletter from your local CPS Area

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.

Annual Violence against Women and Girls report published

Latest figures on prosecutions involving Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) have been released today by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

12 September 2019 | Press Release , Sexual offences , CPS News

Charging decisions over the summer

There have been social media comments which suggest the CPS has recently advised police we will only charge high harm and custody cases. This is not true.

29 July 2019 | CPS says , 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

Speech by Max Hill QC, DPP, to the Policing and Security All-Party Parliamentary Group, 15 July 2019

Good evening and thank you for inviting me here today. It is my first APPG as DPP, although not my first engagement with parliamentarians. I have been pleased to be able to give evidence at three committees so far, and have met with a number of your colleagues.

15 July 2019 | Speech , CPS News

Speech by Max Hill QC, DPP, to the Bar Council in Cardiff, 6 July 2019

Bore Da. It’s a pleasure to be here in Cardiff for the first Saturday morning meeting outside of London. As you know, the CPS maintains a comprehensive presence here in Wales, with our offices in Cardiff, Swansea and Mold. I spent Monday and Tuesday of last week here in Cardiff, with all of our teams.

06 July 2019 | Speech , CPS News

Proposal between the Crown Prosecution Service, Ministry of Justice, Attorney General, Criminal Bar Association and the Bar Council

Criminal advocates are essential to making our criminal justice system work and to upholding the rule of law. The Government recognises the dedication and hard work of the Bar in ensuring that justice gets done, in the face of significant pressures, including the growth in digital evidence and the increasing complexity of criminal cases. It is committed to transforming our criminal justice system for now and for the future and we have been working with the Bar to make that happen. That is why both the Crown Prosecution Service and the Ministry of Justice have commissioned comprehensive evidenced-based reviews into their fee schemes.

12 June 2019 | Press Release , CPS News

Queen's Birthday Honours List

Two members of CPS staff have been recognised in the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours list for their hard work and years of service to the organisation.

07 June 2019 | Press Release , CPS, West Midlands News

CPS response to the announcement of the Criminal Bar Association ballot on action

A CPS spokesperson said: “We are well aware of the concerns being raised by the Bar but are disappointed they have taken this step. We wrote to them earlier this month to make clear that we hugely value their work and share their desire for a swift and positive conclusion to the review of fees schemes.

24 May 2019 | CPS says , CPS News

Why charges could not be brought against Sheffield Wednesday regarding the Hillsborough disaster

We know the sentencing of Graham Mackrell on May 13 for his role in the Hillsborough disaster has been an important milestone for everybody affected by the events of that tragic day.

17 May 2019 | CPS says , CPS News

Police and prosecutors invite victim groups to discuss concerns about new consent form

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and College of Policing have invited concerned organisations and individuals to help shape new processes to bring consistency to the way investigators search for relevant information on the digital devices of complainants and witnesses.

03 May 2019 | Press Release , 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 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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