Code for Crown Prosecutors

In January 2006 sole responsibility for charging criminal suspects transferred from the police to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), in all but the most minor and straightforward cases.

CPS prosecutors work closely with police officers, reviewing the evidence gathered throughout the investigation and advising on the case.  It is the responsibility of the prosecutor to decide whether a person should be charged with a criminal offence and, if so, determining what that charge should be.

Prosecutors work from a number of police stations across the Eastern Area to advise police officers on the appropriate charges to bring against a defendant.  They also advise the police on what further lines of enquiry they should pursue and the evidence they should obtain to ensure that the most robust cases are built from the outset.

Find out more about the Code for Crown Prosecutors

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About Us

The Crown Prosecution Service was set up in 1986 to prosecute criminal cases investigated by the police in England and Wales.

In undertaking this role, the CPS:

  • Advises police forces in Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire on cases for possible prosecution
  • Reviews cases submitted by the police for prosecution
  • Determines the charge in all but minor cases
  • Prepares cases for court
  • Presents those cases at court

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) East of England Area employs more than 400 staff across the four police forces Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.

The Area is led by a Chief Crown Prosecutor, with two Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutors, and takes ultimate responsibility for the criminal cases prosecuted by the CPS.

They each follow the Code for Crown Prosecutors, a public document issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions, setting out the general principles they should follow when they make decisions on cases.

The two main considerations for Crown Prosecutors are to ensure there is a public interest to prosecute and that there is sufficient evidence likely to lead to a conviction at court.