North West

Suzanne Llewellyn, Chief Crown Prosecutor

Suzanne Llewellyn was appointed as Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West in June 2024 and also has dual responsibility as Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Direct, which she took up in August 2023.

Suzanne’s career in the CPS began as a legal trainee in 1991 in the West Midlands Area. She quickly developed her advocacy skills to become a Senior Crown Prosecutor and qualify as a Crown Advocate. During this time, Suzanne gained extensive experience from prosecuting a diverse range of cases before the Magistrates' and Crown Courts across the Midlands region.

Suzanne’s move into the management pathway has seen her take responsibility for Magistrates', Crown Court and Complex Casework teams, leading to her being appointed as the Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for West Midlands, a post she held for eight years. Following periods as the Acting Chief Crown Prosecutor for the West Midlands, Suzanne was appointed the Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Wessex in 2021.

In August 2023, Suzanne additionally took the command of CPS Direct, the CPS's national out-of-hours service.

In her senior leadership role, Suzanne has developed strong working relationships with a wide range of Police Forces, including West Midlands, Staffordshire, West Mercia, Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Dorset, Wiltshire and British Transport Police. Suzanne’s command of the Wessex region also allowed her to develop close links with the Military and the Service Prosecution Authority.

Suzanne’s dual role as Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Direct has seen her working with all English and Welsh Police Forces, to provide out-of-hours charging and secure the successful roll-out of the new charging model.

Throughout her career, Suzanne has led significant organisational change programmes, including Transforming Criminal Justice and Better Case Management, development of the Crown Court Operating model, the COVID Recovery response, and developing a streamlined approach to bring prosecutions for all British Transport Police investigations into CPS West Midlands region. She also developed the operating model to establish an Organised Crime and Serious Violence Unit to tackle homicide and organised crime and most recently the roll-out of the national charging model.

Suzanne has a deeply-rooted passion to improve the service in respect of tackling violence against women and girls and hate crime. She has sought to use her platform as a senior leader to ensure that victims are placed at the heart of the Criminal Justice System.

Suzanne has collaborated extensively with schools, colleges, and universities to introduce ambitious work experience and mini pupillage opportunities. Suzanne’s personal journey into the legal profession has driven her to ensure that candidates see a career in Law as being inclusive, diverse and an attainable career of choice for all. Suzanne was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by The University of Wolverhampton in 2020 in recognition of her work in this area.

Suzanne is delighted to bring her extensive experience and knowledge in all aspects of the Criminal Justice System to CPS North West and CPS Direct.

Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, Joanne Cunliffe

Joanne joined CPS in 2001 as a Senior Crown Prosecutor, after working as a Legal Adviser in the Courts Service.

As a Senior Crown Prosecutor Joanne gained experience in both the Magistrates and Crown Court teams, dealing with a wide range of cases and qualified as a Crown Advocate. In 2008 she joined the CPS North West Complex Casework Unit (NW CCU) and subsequently took up the role of Deputy Head of the Unit in 2013. In 2015 Joanne set up the North West Rape and Serious Sexual Offence Unit and was promoted to Unit Head.

Joanne became a temporary Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor in 2018 and in 2019 was successful in becoming a Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West on a permanent basis. Joanne is responsible for Crown Court casework for the North West Area.

Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, Katie Nicholson

Katie joined the Crown Prosecution Service in 2008 as a Senior Crown Prosecutor, after working in private practice undertaking criminal defence work. As a Senior Crown Prosecutor Katie gained experience in the Magistrates' Court, Crown Court and Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Units. In 2016 she joined CPS North East as a District Crown Prosecutor, responsible for the Rape and Serious Offence Unit in Newcastle.

In 2018 Katie returned to CPS North West and was promoted to Senior District Crown Prosecutor with responsibility for the Lancashire and Cumbria Crown Unit, moving over to Greater Manchester Crown Court Unit in the same role in 2020.

Katie became a temporary Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor in 2022 and, in 2024, was successful in becoming a Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West on a permanent basis and is responsible for all Magistrates’ Court cases in the North West Area.

Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, Janet Potter

Janet was admitted as a solicitor in 1988. After four years in private practice undertaking criminal defence work she joined the Merseyside Crown Prosecution Service and spent nine years as a Senior Crown Prosecutor. In 2001 she was promoted to Prosecution Team Leader on the Mersey North Branch and managed a number of teams between 2001 and 2008, becoming temporary Senior District Crown Prosecutor for Mersey North in 2008.

Janet became the District Crown Prosecutor for the newly formed co-located rape and serious sexual assault unit in Liverpool in 2010, later setting up a similar unit in Cheshire. As the Area Rape Coordinator she worked closely with partner agencies and the police to bring about improvements in witness care and the quality of prosecutions.

In 2012 Janet became District Crown Prosecutor for the Mersey/Cheshire Crown Court Team as well as retaining the management of the RASSO teams. In 2013 she was promoted to Head of the Mersey/Cheshire Complex Casework Unit (CCU) and was also the Area Lead for Disclosure. Janet was seconded to the Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division of the CPS in 2015 as Unit Head of the Hillsborough Team, which had responsibility for charging and prosecuting a number of defendants with criminal offences arising from the Hillsborough disaster and its aftermath.

In 2017 she was appointed as Deputy Head of Specialist Fraud Division, responsible for prosecuting serious economic crime and in June 2020 she moved to North West Area as Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor with responsibility for the RASSO team and the Complex Casework Unit.

Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, Naheed Hussain

Naheed qualified as a solicitor in 1986. She joined CPS Thames Valley as a Crown Prosecutor in 1989, before moving to CPS Yorkshire in 1990 as a Senior Crown Prosecutor. Naheed dealt with the full range of casework in both the magistrates’ and crown courts. Naheed specialised in youth work, hate crime and later worked as a Crown Advocate.

Naheed moved to managing legal teams as a District Crown Prosecutor in 2004 and played a key role in the first Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel. In 2006, Naheed was promoted to the post of Senior District Crown Prosecutor and headed up the City of Manchester Branch, where she set up the first specialist unit dealing with sexual offences. In 2009 Naheed was appointed Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS South Yorkshire, under the previous 42 Area structure.

Upon the move to the current 13 Area structure, Naheed took up the post of Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor in CPS Wales, before moving to CPS London in 2012 with responsibility for Crown Court North. In 2013 Naheed moved to the Operations Directorate as Programme Director, initially working on the Single Fraud Investigation Service Project with the Department of Work and Pensions and then on the Serious Casework Review.

Naheed moved to the Specialist Fraud Division, as Deputy Head of Division responsible for the London teams in 2015. Between 2017 and 2024 Naheed worked in CPS Headquarters in the Operations Directorate and led the team of prosecutors responsible for delivering national legal training across the service.

Naheed joined CPS North West in July 2024 and has responsibility for CPS crown advocates and the Area’s legal trainees.   

Area Business Manager, Caroline Staveley

Caroline Staveley has worked for the CPS since January 1999 when she began her career as an administrator at the CPS Oldham office.  Over the next few years she achieved a number of promotions to Caseworker, Branch Business Support Manager, Branch Business Manager and she also completed a period of temporary promotion as Senior Area Business Manager for Greater Manchester in 2009.

In 2010 Caroline was appointed as Head of North West Area Operations Centre and then as Business Change and Delivery Manager from February 2013. In April 2018 she was promoted to Area Business Manager for CPS North West with overall responsibility for the Operational Delivery and Business Operations for the North West Area.

Caroline is a qualified ILM Level 7 Executive Coach and a Chartered Member of CIPD.

The Magistrates’ Court Unit prosecutes offences where the maximum permitted sentence for each offence does not exceed six months imprisonment or one year if two or more relevant offences are to be considered. Most criminal cases are heard in magistrates’ courts.

The Crown Court Unit deals with cases involving serious offences, which have to be tried before a jury or where the magistrates’ courts do not have sufficient sentencing powers for the seriousness of the crime. 

The Complex Casework Unit prosecutes the most complex and sensitive cases in the area, including organised crime cases and cross-border crime.

The Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Unit is a specialist team who prosecute cases of rape and serious sexual offences from across the North West. 

We aim provide the best possible service to victims and witnesses in the North West. We work with our local communities so that we have a better understanding of how crime affects them and so that we can explain the role of the CPS and the work we do.

We have set up Local Scrutiny Involvement Panels (LSIPs), which include members of the public and members of voluntary organisations who support victims of certain kinds of crime, such as hate crime, sexual violence or domestic violence. Their input into our work is vital to help us improve the service we give to victims and witnesses.

We welcome invitations to meet with groups and organisations in the North West and we attend events, give presentations and answer questions about the work of the CPS.