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. We are currently consulting on an updated joint protocol. For more details and to have your say, go here.

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.

Guilty: Killer who tortured and murdered a man before fleeing the country and texting co-conspirators during their trial

Wendy Logan, District Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said: “John Belfield was responsible for leading a meticulously planned attack to kill Thomas Campbell. Evidence presented by the prosecution made it clear that Belfield had orchestrated this attack and left no stone unturned to ensure it would be successful including organising surveillance of Campbell’s every move and even conducting dress rehearsals for their plans.

03 July 2025 | Press Release , Violent crime , North West News

Former Home Office employee jailed for bribery

A man who abused his position by granting asylum applications for money has been jailed today.

23 June 2025 | Press Release , North West News

Man sentenced after sexually exploiting women across the North West

A man has been jailed today for his involvement in the sexual exploitation and trafficking of women.

20 June 2025 | Press Release , Sexual offences , North West News

CPS authorises charges against two men following death of 13-month-old boy in Blackpool

Suzanne Llewellyn, Chief Crown Prosecutor of CPS North West, said:

13 June 2025 | Press Release , Violent crime, Sexual offences , North West News

Guilty: Psychiatrist who sexually assaulted patients under the guise of physical examinations

A psychiatrist who inappropriately touched his patients has been found guilty of three counts of sexual assault following a trial at Bolton Crown Court.

Dr Vijay Gaikwad, 44, denied sexually assaulting his patients, claiming he had not conducted physical examinations of the three women.

12 June 2025 | Press Release , Sexual offences , North West News

Sentenced: Man who deliberately drove into a police officer

A man who deliberately drove into a police officer in Stockport has been sentenced today at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

04 June 2025 | Press Release , Driving offences , North West News

Jailed: Cocaine-fuelled driver who killed three-year-old in Manchester van-tram crash

A man has been jailed today for causing the death of three-year-old Louisa (Lulu) Palmisano, after the van he was driving struck a tram and mounted the pavement.

Rawal Rehman, 36, was jailed at Manchester Crown Court for 12 years and disqualified from driving for over 13 years.

27 May 2025 | Press Release , North West News

Jailed: Just Stop Oil protesters who targeted Manchester Airport

Nicola Wells, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said: “Four Just Stop Oil protesters have been sentenced today after they were intercepted by the police on route to cause disruption at Manchester Airport on 5 August 2024.

27 May 2025 | Press Release , North West News

Company Director jailed for manslaughter following football related violence

Company Director, Jake Balmforth, 35, has been jailed for five years for manslaughter, after an outbreak of violence in a Blackpool pub led to the death of Anthony Johnson. A nine year football banning order was also imposed.

22 May 2025 | Press Release , Violent crime , North West News

Convicted murderer stabbed uncle to death

A man previously convicted of murdering a 23-year-old man in 2011 has been found guilty of stabbing his 64-year-old great uncle to death last year.

19 May 2025 | Press Release , Violent crime , North West 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 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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