Successes of the Month - February 2012

Contents

• Martin Ryan helps to improve safety for women working as prostitutes in Lambeth
• Kevin Jones praised by judge for helping his opponent in court
• Bar Council commends Matthew Outterside for his outstanding work on Advocacy Panels
• Vicky Howard goes the extra mile in helping to establish digital working in Yorkshire and Humberside
• Honourable mentions - more examples of outstanding work

Martin Ryan, District Crown Prosecutor, CPS London

Martin recognised for his commitment to award-winning diversion project

Martin's commitment to improving the Criminal Justice System's response to women involved in prostitution was recently recognised at an award ceremony hosted by Chuka Ummuna MP at the House of Commons, where Martin won an award for his 'commitment to diversion'. This celebrated the CPS's innovative partnership with The Trust Women's Project, a charity which provides specialist support to women involved in street-based prostitution in Lambeth, South London, focusing on diversion, crisis intervention, support and aftercare.

Martin has helped to improve the safety of many women working as prostitutes in the Lambeth area. The Court Diversion Scheme supports women arrested for street prostitution in the borough, offering routes away from the criminal justice system and providing links to support and treatment.

Martin said: "It was very much a revolving door situation, with the women back working as prostitutes or spending a few days in custody to pay off fines.

"The fact that the women caught up in this lifestyle often had multiple issues to deal with - from abuse through to housing and child care issues - meant any chance of making this a success would require a long term commitment from all agencies. It seemed to us that changing the way we delivered justice interventions to this group was the right thing to do.

"I would personally sign each discontinuance. Although I would see the same names coming up for a while, gradually some of them stopped appearing as The Trust's work bore fruit."

Diane Martin, Director of The Trust Women's Project, said: "Martin was always supportive of our aims to divert women from the criminal justice system and into community-based solutions to address offending and other complex issues.

"He has provided consistent support over the years. Our diversion scheme has been replicated in other areas and there is new diversion legislation based on its success, which is shown by a consistent voluntary completion rate of 84 to 95 per cent over eight years and - more importantly - changed lives and new futures."

Kevin Jones, Crown Advocate, West Midlands Southern Sector

Kevin praised by judge for being 'a credit ot the legal profession' for aiding his opponent

Late last year, during an appeal against a driving disqualification, Kevin spoke with the appellant (the person making the appeal) before the hearing, as he was not represented by a lawyer. When the appellant addressed the court, Kevin realised that he had left out some important matters they had discussed which would assist his appeal.

Kevin informed the Judge about this as he felt it was his duty to do so as representative of the Crown, which aims to see justice done, whether by convictions or acquittal. The end result of this was the appeal was successful and the appellant's disqualification was removed. The Judge praised Kevin for being a credit to the legal profession in assisting the court in this way.

Kevin said: "This case was a real example of an unrepresented person becoming nervous in the face of the court. Most have little or no experience of speaking in public and have limited knowledge of the law.

"Prior to the hearing he had told me of his financial commitments. It became evident when he was addressing the court that he had forgotten to mention them. They were important points and ones I felt could not be ignored so simply invited the court to ask a little more of about the appellant's finances and employment.

"It is important that we are seen to prosecute our cases fairly and I was grateful for HHJ Trevor-Jones in recognising what I had done."

Max Bennett, Sector Crown Prosecutor for the CPS West Midlands, said: "The CPS Core Quality Standards lay down the quality of service that the public are entitled to expect. Standard 6 states 'we will present our cases fairly and firmly'. It may not have been the most serious of cases - although serious to the appellant of course - but I can think of no better example of fairness, and Kevin deserves great credit for his approach. He is a highly valued member of the Shropshire Combined Unit".

Matthew Outterside, Operational Policy Advisor, Operations Directorate, CPS HQ

Matthew's outstanding work on Advocacy Panels recognised by Bar Council

In March 2010 the CPS launched its Advocate Panel scheme. The scheme provided an open competition for barristers and solicitors to apply to join a panel of quality approved advocates to undertake Crown Court advocacy for the CPS.

The project was far from straightforward because those involved were mainly external to the CPS - the applicants and many of the referees. By the end of August almost 3,000 advocates had applied and more than 5,000 references had been submitted. From October to December 2011, teams of assessors across the CPS undertook more than 3,500 assessments.

Matthew Outterside, from Operations Directorate, had the unenviable task of providing and organising the administrative support to the project. He played a vital role in managing and recording the receipt of applications, references and assessment results, which required both evening and weekend working.

He also provided helpdesk support to barristers, chambers' clerks, referees and local CPS leads. Throughout this demanding process, Matthew was thoroughly professional representing the CPS to the highest possible standards with external practitioners. In particular, he was calm, courteous and helpful when dealing with a constant flow of telephone and email queries, often from anxious advocates and clerks.

Keith Milburn, Head of Court Business Delivery at CPS HQ, said: "The contribution Matthew made was pivotal to the success of the project. The help he provided to the Bar was acknowledged by Michael Todd QC, Chairman of the Bar Council, who wrote to the DPP with fulsome praise of Matthew's professionalism and the manner in which he assisted the Advocate Panel process."

Vicky Howard, Digital Working Programme Manager, CPS Yorkshire and Humberside

Vicky goes the extra mile to advance digital working in Yorkshire and Humberside

The criminal justice system is in the process of moving over to digital working, meaning that the old system of paper files, with its associated issues of transport, storage and delays will soon be a thing of the past, and all case files will eventually be created, stored and shared across the CJS electronically.

Vicky Howard is the Digital Working Project Manager for West Yorkshire. She has been nominated by a number of her colleagues for her outstanding efforts to push the project ahead in West Yorkshire as well as sharing best practice with her colleagues across Yorkshire and Humberside, finding solutions to the inevitable challenges and obstacles, and keeping the project on track and on target.

Vicky has drawn up many helpful desk notes and tips, has organised and carried out many training sessions, has worked with the CPS IT Helpdesk to ensure that the electronic bundling tool (which automatically pulls together all of the files associated with a case) was improved. She has also helped to get the right messages across to those dealing with the project. She has worked with the Police to ensure that their systems and those of the CPS are working together successfully, and has even worked on her days off to ensure it progresses.

Michael Quinn, Senior District Crown Prosecutor, said: "I am delighted at the well-deserved recognition that Vicky has received from her colleagues for her exceptional contribution to the successful implementation of the digital Criminal Justice System in West Yorkshire".

Honourable mentions: more examples of outstanding work

Paul Mitchell, Principal Crown Advocate and in-house Counsel, Lawrence Sherrington, Crown Advocate, and Gill Dolding, Paralegal Officer, Organised Crime Division, York.

Operation Junko was a case involving a phenomenal amount of work over several years by the prosecution team. It was a very challenging prosecution in that the commodities - like Benzocaine, Lidocaine and Paracetamol - which the men were supplying are not in themselves illegal to possess. The Crown had to demonstrate that the defendants knew that the chemicals and cutting agents would be used to prepare illegal drugs for the street. This was a true cradle to grave case: Paul and Lawrence advised on how such a case could be put, worked alongside SOCA as they pursued their investigation and then presented the case compellingly at court. The convictions they won, and the sentences, ranging from 11 to 18 years, were a reward for the team's unstinting efforts.

Elizabeth Jenkins, Unit Head of the CPS Organised Crime Division (North), said: "While these aren't the first convictions related to cutting agents, this case was the first to be charged, and was the biggest and most complex so far seen. The team cannot be praised enough for seeing it through to a successful conclusion."

Rachel Cushing, Crown Advocate, CPS Norfolk

In February 2011, on two separate occasions (and in relation to two separate male victims), Darren Witham went to a public toilet, indicated to the victims that he was interested in a sexual encounter and when they responded he told them he was a police officer and would arrest them unless they paid him money. One victim paid him £1000 and gave him a gold bracelet, the other managed to get away before parting with any money. It took a great deal for the victims to come forward as their families do not know about their activities. Witness anonymity orders were granted and remain in force which means that nothing can be published that would lead to the victims being identified.

Rachel said: "From the very outset, we ensured that there were measures in place to protect the anonymity of the victims in this case. This enabled them to have the confidence to come forwards and give statements, resulting in Mr Witham's conviction."

Dale Simon, Head of the CPS Equality and Diversity Unit, said: "This case is worthy of special mention for me, because it demonstrates how effective the use of special measures can be in supporting victims from hard to reach groups and securing prosecutions in cases that would not have got to court in the not too distant past."