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.

UPDATED WITH SENTENCE: Man convicted of murdering man because he thought he had scared his daughter

UPDATE: At Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday 10 August, James Ireland was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder. He must serve a minimum of 19 years.

10 August 2023 | Press Release , Violent crime , Mersey-Cheshire News

Man jailed for life for murdering girlfriend of five years

A man who strangled his girlfriend of five years has been jailed for life for her murder.

21 July 2023 | Press Release , Violent crime , Mersey-Cheshire News

UPDATED WITH SENTENCE: Man found guilty of murdering an innocent woman outside a pub on Christmas Eve

A man has been found guilty of shooting dead an innocent woman with a submachine gun outside a pub on the Wirral on Christmas Eve.

06 July 2023 | Press Release , Violent crime , Mersey-Cheshire News

CPS on Merseyside first to successfully apply for new knife crime measures

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in Merseyside is the first CPS Area in the country to successfully apply for the courts to impose new measures to stop persistent knife crime offenders.

08 June 2023 | Press Release , Violent crime , Mersey-Cheshire News

Man jailed for helping the killer of Olivia Pratt-Korbel

A man has been jailed for 22 months for helping the gunman who shot dead nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in Liverpool last year.

26 April 2023 | Press Release , Violent crime , Mersey-Cheshire News

UPDATED WITH SENTENCE: Thomas Cashman, guilty of the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, sentenced to life

A killer, who took two loaded guns onto the streets of Liverpool to shoot a man but instead fatally shot nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in her home, has been convicted of her murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 42 years.

03 April 2023 | Press Release , Violent crime , CPS, Mersey-Cheshire News

Man jailed for life for murdering an associate who wouldn't answer the door

A man who beat an associate to death after he refused to answer the door to him has been jailed for life.

22 February 2023 | Press Release , Violent crime , Mersey-Cheshire News

Man who racially abused and tried to strangle a taxi driver sentenced

A man who racially abused and tried to strangle a taxi driver has been sentenced.

10 February 2023 | Press Release , Violent crime, Hate crime , Mersey-Cheshire News

Three men charged in connection with the murder of Ashley Dale

The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised Merseyside Police to charge three men in connection with the murder of Ashley Dale in Old Swan in Liverpool in August 2022.

01 February 2023 | Press Release , Violent crime , Mersey-Cheshire News

Teenager jailed for carrying a gun and shooting a man on a Liverpool Street

A 17-year-old boy from Liverpool has been deemed “dangerous” by a judge and jailed for shooting another man and firearms offences.

26 January 2023 | Press Release , Violent crime , Mersey-Cheshire 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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