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Prosecuting Terrorism

Terrorism, race hate, crimes against humanity, war crimes, violent extremism, hijacking and espionage cases are tackled by a specialist team of Crown Prosecutors. The Counter Terrorism Division of the CPS includes highly experienced prosecutors, advocates and caseworkers who work closely with the police to bring offenders to justice.

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Home » News Centre » Press Releases » CPS terrorism specialist in New Year Honours

CPS terrorism specialist in New Year Honours

30/12/2004

The head of the CPS branch with responsibility for conducting terrorist casework, Sue Hemming, has been awarded an OBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours List.

Sue has worked at CPS Headquarters since 2000 when she became head of the unit which specialises in extradition cases and providing mutual legal assistance to other countries. In 2002 she moved to her current post as head of the branch with responsibility for conducting terrorist casework and other complex and serious criminal cases. Sue is the senior prosecutor in a series of terrorist trials which are currently ongoing at the Old Bailey and is prosecuting the case of R v Abu Hamza due for trial next year.

As well as providing legal advice about terrorist prosecutions to Ministers, government officials and senior police officers, Sue regularly trains and delivers lectures to police officers and prosecutors from the UK and from the Commonwealth. She was part of the legal team which negotiated the new extradition treaty with the United States and was involved in the early consultation stages in the formulation of the Extradition Act 2003.

On receiving the OBE, Sue said: "I am delighted to receive this award. I have always found working for the CPS challenging and rewarding and I have been fortunate to work in some of the most interesting aspects of criminal law in my career.

"This is a great personal honour, but it is also a recognition of the enormous amount of painstaking work that goes on behind the scenes in the sort of sensitive and complex cases that my branch deals with on a daily basis. I am very proud of the commitment and dedication of the team and this award is definitely a tribute to all of them as well."

Sue Hemming joined the CPS in Cambridgeshire in 1988 after qualifying at University College, Cardiff and in London. She was promoted to Senior Crown Prosecutor in 1990 and moved to the Casework Directorate at CPS Headquarters in London in 2000.

  1. Media enquiries to CPS press office on 020 7710 6091.
  2. For security reasons a photograph of Sue Hemming is not available.