West Midlands CPS - Executive Team

Harry Ireland, Chief Crown Prosecutor

Harry Ireland was appointed as Chief Crown Prosecutor (CCP) for the West Midlands Area in April 2011. Prior to this, he was the Group Chair and CCP for the West Midlands Group from June 2009 He qualified as a solicitor in 1980, working in private practice in Manchester, dealing mainly in crime and matrimonial work. In 1981 he joined the County Prosecuting Solicitors Department for South Yorkshire. Whilst there he transferred to CPS upon its creation in April 1986. In 1990 became Branch Crown Prosecutor for Wiltshire where he remained until his appointment as CCP for CPS Staffordshire in 1999. He leads for CPS nationally on youth justice issues and edits the national Youth Specialist training course.

 

 

Zafar Siddique, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor

Zafar joined the CPS in 1997 as an Administration Officer, prior to this, he worked at Glasgow University as a lecturer and research scientist specialising in medical genetics. In 2002, he qualified as a solicitor and began prosecuting in Bradford. He became West Yorkshires High-Tech crime specialist and worked on a number of high profile cases including Operation Ore (internet child abuse cases). In 2004, Zafar was promoted to Assistant District Crown Prosecutor in West Yorkshire and in 2008 he became District Crown Prosecutor in London. He is also a Crown Advocate and has conducted trials in the Crown Court. Zafar has responsibilities for the Eastern and Southern Sectors.

 

 

Nick Price, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor

Nick was called to the bar in July 1998. After a brief spell at the bar in London he was recruited by the Criminal Cases Review Commission where he worked between 2000 and 2002, gaining his Masters Degree in criminal law at the same time. Nick joined the CPS in Cheshire in 2002 and since then has held a number of roles across the country. More recently he was the Temporary Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor in North Wales CPS. Nick has recently been appointed as one of two Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutors in the West Midlands, responsible for the Central and Northern Sectors.

 

 

Laurence Sutton, Area Business Manager

Laurence joined the CPS in 1986 at its inception, having previously worked at the West Midlands County Prosecuting Solicitors offices as a caseworker since 1980. He became a Senior Caseworker in the West Midlands in 1987, and until 1991 managed their Complex Casework Team. In 1998 he became the West Midlands Area Training Manager until he was appointed as Area Business Manager for West Mercia in 1999.  He was appointed as Senior ABM for the West Midlands Group in June 2008. During his time with the CPS Laurence has qualified as a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives.