News
Date
Outline
07/02/2012
Priest found guilty of abusing young children
A Catholic priest was today found guilty at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court of sexually abusing young children.
07/02/2012
Wolverhampton man ordered to pay back £500,000
A Wolverhampton man has been ordered to pay a £500,000.00 confiscation order yesterday at Birmingham Crown Court.
19/01/2012
CPS authorises charge of murder over death of Avtar and Carole Kolar
West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have today authorised police to charge Rimvydas Liorancas with the murder of Avtar and Carole Kolar.
18/01/2012
Three men charged with the murder of Richard Deakins
West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised Staffordshire Police to charge John Anslow, aged 31, Leigh Astbury, 31 and Andrew Hill, 49, with the murder of Richard Deakins in 2010.
10/01/2012
Man charged with making and possessing indecent images
In 2010 a warrant was executed at a house in Birmingham where a laptop computer and a memory stick were seized which contained over 3000 indecent images and movies of young children.
16/12/2011
Man sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his neighbour
David Veall, aged 28, was today sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 13 years to be served before any application for parole, at the Warwickshire Justice Centre for the murder of his neighbour, Warren Lenagh, last year in Coventry.
14/12/2011
CPS extradites murder suspect from Ireland
West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has successfully extradited Martin Stafford from the Republic of Ireland and have authorised West Midlands Police to charge him with the 2004 murder of Michelle Gunshon.
12/12/2011
Four men jailed for life for the murder of a shopkeeper
Four men were sentenced to life today at Birmingham Crown Court for the murder of Suppiah Thaaemseelan in his shop last year.
09/12/2011
Criminals forced to pay back
Criminals have been hit in the pocket to the tune of over £1.1 million by Staffordshire Police so far in 2011/12.
25/11/2011
Burglar and his partner ordered to repay ill gotten gains
Following a complex police inquiry in two stages code named Operation Coda I & II a professional house burglar and his partner, having earlier been convicted and sentenced, have now been ordered to repay the proceeds of their crimes.
22/11/2011
West Midlands CPS to launch guidance on Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities
The West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will tomorrow, Wednesday 23 November 2011, be launching its guidance to prosecutors on Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities in Birmingham which will assist the CPS to understand the problems this community faces with hate crime.
18/11/2011
A solider and a former paramedic found guilty of rape and sexual assaults
Today at Worcester Crown Court, Ian Tuckley, aged 32 and Martin Finney, aged 40, have been found guilty of a series of rapes and sexual assaults against children.
15/11/2011
Man charged with kidnap and sexual assault of a 10 year-old child
West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised officers from West Midlands Police to charge Michael Jackson, aged 49, from Oldbury, West Midlands with the kidnap and sexual assault of a 10 year-old child in Oldbury on Sunday 13 November 2011.
28/10/2011
Two people charged with immigration offences
West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised officers from the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) to charge two people from Wolverhampton with immigration offences.
14/10/2011
Youth sentenced for arson at sheltered home in Rugby
A 17 year-old youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was today sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court to a Hospital Order for setting a fire at a sheltered home for older people in Rugby.
30/09/2011
Christine Hemming found guilty of burglary
Christine Hemming was today found guilty of burglary at Birmingham Crown Court in which a kitten was taken.
26/08/2011
CPS statement on sentences at Birmingham Crown Court arising out of disorder
Chief Crown Prosecutor for the West Midlands, Harry Ireland, said:
17/08/2011
CPS decision to summons Network Rail and signalman over alleged health and safety breaches
West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised officers from British Transport Police to issue summonses against Network Rail and a signalman alleging offences under the Health and Safety Act 1974 following a fatal incident on 16 January 2010 when a train and a car were in collision at Moreton-on-Lugg level crossing.
13/08/2011
Two charged with three counts of murder following deaths in Winson Green, Birmingham
The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised West Midlands Police to charge two men, Joshua Donald and a youth, with three counts of murder in relation to an incident on 10 August in Winson Green, Birmingham.
05/08/2011
Criminals In West Mercia Made To Pay Back £2 million
West Mercia Police and its partners have taken back more than £2 million from criminals and returned more than a quarter of a million to victims of crime in the last financial year.
28/07/2011
Paul Wilson sentenced to life imprisonment for 46 sexual offences on 23 young girls
A former nursery worker has today been sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court to life imprisonment after he had pleaded guilty to 46 sexual offences, including oral rape of a three-year-old child at the nursery where he worked, and offences involving young girls from around the country.
25/07/2011
Stafford fraudster forced to pay back over £400,000
A Stafford businessman who was jailed for his role in two major frauds has today been ordered to pay back £406,000.
15/07/2011
Jury returns mixed verdicts in triple murder trial
Robin Ligus, who was charged last year with the murders of three men in Shropshire in 1994, has had the case against him proved in two of the cases.
13/07/2011
Three family members jailed for manslaughter of mother’s boyfriend
Two brothers and their cousin were today sentenced to a total of 18 years at Wolverhampton Crown Court today for the manslaughter of a man who had formed a relationship with their mother.
08/07/2011
Senior prosecutor takes up new appointment in the area
Peter Tooke has been appointed as the Senior Sector Crown Prosecutor in charge of West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) operations for Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, and Telford and Wrekin.
29/06/2011
Five year sentence for drunken assault
A drunken reveller who permanently disfigured a woman by biting a hole in her cheek was sentenced to five years imprisonment at Birmingham Crown Court last week.
17/06/2011
Charging Announcement - Kylie Jones
Lorraine Anson, Senior Crown Prosecutor from West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service, said: “I have authorised Staffordshire Police to charge Kylie Jones, aged 26, with one count of causing death by carless driving. This charge relates an incident which took place on John Street, Wimblebury on 23rd February, 2011 when a 72 year-old pedestrian died following a collision with Ms Jones’ car.
15/06/2011
Paul Hughes sentenced to 15 years for attempted murder of childhood friend
Paul Hughes who stabbed his childhood friend was today sentenced to 15 years at Worcester Crown Court for attempted murder and having an offensive weapon in a public place.
13/06/2011
Chief prosecutor to leave CPS West Mercia
Colin Chapman, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced his decision to leave the organisation after nearly 30 years.
13/06/2011
Cash-in-transit van robbers jailed
Two men were today sentenced to a total of 12 years at Birmingham Crown Court for conspiracy to steal over half a million pounds from a cash-in-transit van in Birmingham last year.
09/06/2011
Charging announcement - Cory Youlden
Suzanne Llewellyn, District Crown Prosecutor for West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: "I have authorised West Mercia Police to charge Cory Youlden, aged 22, with the murder of Paul Cox, aged 83. This charge relates to an incident which took place in Rubery on Friday 3rd June, 2011 when Mr Cox was found dead at his home address.
09/05/2011
Insufficient evidence to charge parents with death of daughter
West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has decided that there is insufficient evidence to charge either Kenneth or Marion Hancox, the parents of Samantha Hancox, with causing her death.
18/04/2011
Two men sentenced for bank robbery
Norman Grant and Luke Daley were today sentenced for an indefinite period after being found guilty at Birmingham Crown Court last month of kidnapping, use of firearms and robbery on the UAE Exchange Bank in Birmingham last year.
18/04/2011
Former teacher sentenced to 14 months imprisonment for possessing indecent images
A former Solihull teacher was today sentenced to 14 months imprisonment at the Leamington Justice Centre for making and possessing over 11,500 indecent photographs of children.
18/04/2011
Criminals pay back £2.4m in Staffordshire
Criminals were forced to pay back almost £2.5 million by Staffordshire Police in 2010/11.
06/04/2011
Andrew Bayliss found guilty of murdering a taxi driver
Andrew Bayliss, aged 29, was today found guilty of the murder of Muhammed Arshad, a self employed taxi driver who was stabbed to death in his taxi on the Birmingham and Worcestershire border in July 2009.
18/03/2011
Father guilty of murder and attempted murder after driving car into river
Today at Birmingham Crown Court, Christopher Grady, 42, was found guilty of the murder of his daughter and attempted murder of his son after he drove his car, with his children in, into the River Avon in February 2010.
10/03/2011
Man guilty of nightclub stabbing
Yesterday at Stafford Crown Court, George Lawrence, 46, was sentenced to life, with a minimum of 22 years after he was found guilty of murdering Connor Upton, 21, outside the Merlin's nightclub, Station Street, Burton upon Trent in June 2010.
25/02/2011
Drugs gang sentenced to a total of 81 years imprisonment
Following a year long covert police operation into the supply of drugs into the country, 23 people were found guilty during a number of trials held at Birmingham Crown Court.
25/02/2011
Men sentenced for serious fraud
Today at Worcester Crown Court, Geoffrey Stevens, 68, and George Winsdor, 27, both from the West Midlands area, were sentenced for their parts in a serious fraud.
24/02/2011
Man guilty of stabbing wife to death at family home
Today at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Harold Landry, 64, was found guilty of the murder of his wife Lucy Landry, 38, at their home at Besford Court, Worcestershire on the 1st February 2010.
15/02/2011
Four people charged with obtaining mortgages by fraud
West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised a number charges against four people who are alleged to have fraudulently obtained mortgages.
11/02/2011
Father guilty of murdering daughter
Today at Leicester Crown Court, Gurmeet Singh Ubhi, 54, was found guilty of murdering his daughter Amrit Kaur Ubhi, 25, at their home address in Leegomery, near Telford on 7th September 2010.
10/02/2011
Retracting rape and domestic violence allegations: CPS launches public consultation on legal guidance
Individuals who retract truthful allegations of rape or domestic violence out of fear are less likely to be prosecuted under proposed new guidance for prosecutors on the offence of perverting the course of justice, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, said today. But individuals who make malicious false allegations should know they risk prosecution, he said.
01/02/2011
CPS Statement - Gareth Compton
"The West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has decided to take no action against Gareth Compton, a Conservative Party Councillor for Erdington in Birmingham, following remarks he made against Ms Yasmin Alibhai-Brown on his Twitter page.
01/02/2011
CPS Charging Statement – Marc Price
West Mercia Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised West Mercia police to charge Marc Price, 23, with causing grievous bodily harm upon Darren Parkinson with intent to do so and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to Joseph Collins, following an incident at Carnforth Drive, Brickfields which took place on 30th January, 2011, involving a motor vehicle.
01/02/2011
Imam guilty or rape and sexual activity
Today at Nottingham Crown Court, Mohammed Hanif Khan, 42, was found guilty of two counts of rape and one count of sexual activity on two young boys in 2009.
27/01/2011
Man sentenced to life for murdering his partner
Today at Birmingham Crown Court, David Paul Jones, was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his partner, Julie Fenton, last year.
24/01/2011
Man guilty of raping stranger
Today at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, Mory Conde, 30, was found guilty of raping a woman in an alley way between Midway and the High Street in Newcastle-under-Lyme on the 5th August 2010. He was also found guilty of two counts of assault by penetration and making a threat to kill and sentenced to imprisonment for public protection for a minimum of five years.
24/01/2011
Man sentenced to life for sexual offences
A former police officer has been sentenced today to life at Coventry Crown Court for a string of sexual offences against young children and a vulnerable woman in the counties of Warwickshire and Northamptonshire.
21/01/2011
Man sentenced for killing brother in law
Today at Stafford Crown Court Steven Williams, 25, was sentenced to six years imprisonment for killing his brother in law, Michael Smith, at Mr Smith's home in Wildwood, Stafford. Williams pleaded guilty to manslaughter at an earlier hearing.
21/01/2011
Charging changes cut red tape
A successful pilot to cut police bureaucracy has been adopted across Staffordshire ahead of a national roll-out. Staffordshire Police is the first force to implement new guidelines that give officers greater responsibility in deciding with what to charge a suspect.
18/01/2011
Man charged with attempted murder
West Mercia Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) last night authorised the police to charge Scott Smith, 21, with attempted murder following an incident which took place on 16th January, 2011.
14/01/2011
CPS statement on Paul Luckman
Paul Luckman was sentenced to 10 years eight months imprisonment today at Worcester Crown Court for the Attempt Murder of Shaun Gayton to which he has earlier pleaded guilty to.
13/01/2011
Man guilty of New Years day murder
Yesterday at Worcester Crown Court, Jason Halling, 29, was found guilty of murdering Kevin Smith, 47, at a wedding party on New Years day 2010.
13/01/2011
Man pleads guilty to online child sex offence
Today at Stafford Crown Court Trevor Neil Barrett, 51, from Rugeley, pleaded guilty to one charge of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity during 2008. Barrett engaged in a number of online "chats" to an undercover police officer from the Metropolitan Police who was posing as a 14 year old girl using the pseudonym "Shelly".
07/01/2011
Man charged after Little Star Nursery investigation
Jayne Salt, Head of CPS West Midlands Complex Casework Unit, said: "Having carefully examined all of the available information which was submitted to us by the police, we have decided that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to charge Paul Wilson with two counts of rape in relation an investigation into the Little Star Nursery in Nechells, Birmingham.
17/12/2010
Improving the quality of rape prosecutions
By Colin Chapman, Chief Crown Prosecutor. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, has just announced a series of measures to boost the quality of rape prosecutions across England and Wales.
15/12/2010
Men guilty of murder
Today at Stafford Crown Court Gareth Dennis, 29 and Michael Grocott, 29 were found guilty of murder and Tom Boyd, 21, was found guilty of manslaughter after Robert Freeman, 36, was fatally stabbed on 10th May 2009 at his home in Bentilee, Stoke-on-Trent.
02/12/2010
CPS Statement on teenagers over buring of Qur'an
The West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has decided to take no action against a 15 year old schoolgirl who burnt a copy of the Qur’an, or a 14 year old schoolboy who made threats about her on a social networking site following the incident.
02/12/2010
Cannabis farmer ordered to pay £280,000
In October 2007 West Mercia police executed a search warrant at New House Farm, Muckleton Telford, the home of Bryan Voce, a Liverpudlian who had moved to Shropshire. What the police found was a cannabis farm.
29/11/2010
Man sentenced to four years for rape
Thirty-six year old Michael Chai of Lodge Road, Stratford, has just been sentenced to four years imprisonment for rape after appearing at Warwick Crown Court on Monday 29 November.
22/11/2010
Give us a ring...to get their bling
A campaign to hit criminals in the pocket is urging Staffordshire residents: 'Give us a ring to get their bling.'
10/11/2010
CPS and police join forces to tackle hate crime
Two law enforcement agencies in West Mercia have today signed groundbreaking agreements which will see them work more closer to tackle hate crime in the county.
08/11/2010
Major drug gang members jailed
The ringleader and two close associates of North Staffordshire's biggest cocaine gangs have today been jailed for a combined total of 11 years.
05/10/2010
Man sentenced for child sex offences
On Wednesday 29 September at Stoke on Trent Crown Court, Steven Shingler, 46, was sentenced to six years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to a number of sex offences in August 2010. He will be on the sex offenders register for life.
17/09/2010
Man charged with three murders after cold case review
West Mercia Police and the Crown Prosecution Service have today announced that Robin Ligus (06/05/1952) has been charged with the murders of three men in the 1990s.
23/08/2010
New CPS head for Birmingham
Nigel Gumley has been appointed as the new Senior District Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in Birmingham, pending the departure of Nick Price, who will be taking up his new post as Chief Crown Prosecutor for North Wales.
23/08/2010
CPS Coventry and Solihull head departs to take up new post
The Senior District Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in Coventry and Solihull, Nigel Gumley, will be leaving his post on 31 August 2010 to take up his new position as the head of the CPS in Birmingham.
14/07/2010
Jailed for non payment of order
Yesterday, at Birmingham Magistrates Court, Carl Pritchett, 57, was jailed for seven years as a result of non payment of a £2 million confiscation order made against him in connection with the running of Cuddles Massage Parlour, which was raided in 2005.
14/07/2010
No charges in baby left at mosque case
We can confirm that we have advised on a file in relation to the discovery of a baby outside a mosque on Beresford Street, Shelton, on 6 March 2010 and there will be no further action.
09/07/2010
Florin Codreanu Guilty of Murdering Wife
Today at Stafford Crown Court Florin Codreanu, 30, was found guilty of murdering his wife, Marie Codreanu, 27, at their home in Lichfield on 17 January 2010.
07/07/2010
Treasure Case Discontinued
Senior Crown Prosecutors from West Mercia CPS have taken the decision not to prosecute Kate Harding for a second time for an offence of failing to notify a Coroner treasure had been found.
24/06/2010
Statement from CPS Birmingham after youths are convicted of sexual assaults
Youths convicted after sexual assaults.
29/04/2010
Music teacher charged with sexual offences
Prosecutors from West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have advised police to charge a music teacher from the West Midlands with sexual activity with a child.
21/04/2010
Letter to Coventry Telegraph
A headline story appeared in the Coventry Telegraph on 13 April 2010 regarding an alleged assault on a teenage girl containing an incorrect assertion that the Crown Prosecution Service had decided charges were not in the public interest.
31/03/2010
Man Sentenced for Killing Friend
Today at Stafford Crown Court Zenon Garbaty, 29, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Przemyslaw Humaniak, 30, following an incident on the evening of the 1st November 2009 in Burton upon Trent.
22/03/2010
Two men found guilty of trying to defraud Virgin Media
Jagdeep Bhogal and Manminder Singh were today each sentenced to 26 weeks imprisonment, suspended for two years at Wolverhampton Crown Court for trying to defraud Virgin Media.
22/03/2010
Local community invited to assist the Crown Prosecution Service
Members of the public in Warwickshire are being offered a unique opportunity of assisting lawyers from Warwickshire Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to increase the number of successful prosecutions of hate crime.
05/03/2010
Man Guilty of Murdering Wife
Today at Birmingham Crown Court Simon Downer, 32, was found guilty of murdering his wife Tracey Downer at their home in Tamworth on 20 June 2009.
01/03/2010
Death of John Taylor
A CPS spokesman said: "The death of John Steven Taylor on 6th February 2010 during the premiership football match between Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers was a tragedy, and a great loss to his family.
25/02/2010
Parents plead guilty to manslaughter for starving their daughter
Junaid Abuhamza and Angela Gordon, have pleaded guilty to the Manslaughter of seven-year-old Khyra Ishaq on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
23/02/2010
Warwickshire CPS statement on discontinuance of charges against Roger Day
Following a review on the case of Mr Roger Day, Warwickshire Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) made a decision to discontinue the prosecution on the basis that there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.
22/02/2010
New Code for Crown Prosecutors issued
Keir Starmer QC, Director of Public Prosecutions, today issued a clarified and updated edition of The Code for Crown Prosecutors (the Code).
01/02/2010
Prosecutors launch regional website
The West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Group has today unveiled a new website which will enable the public to gain access to resources that will explain the role and successes of the CPS and the Criminal Justice System in the region.
24/11/2009
Three people sentenced in £1.2million money laundering case
One of the region's most complex and biggest money laundering case has been successfully concluded today at Birmingham Crown Court.
23/11/2009
Birmingham CPS appoints new head
Nick Price has been appointed as the new Senior District Crown Prosecutor for Birmingham Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
23/11/2009
CPS to host conference on crimes against older people
Support groups for older people from across the county will be invited to the Royal Pump Rooms, Leamington Spa on the 4th December for a conference to raise their awareness of crimes against the older community and how they can assist in bringing offender
14/10/2009
CPS to tackle robustly football hooliganism
"Anyone receiving a football banning order this season will not be able to actively support England or Wales if they qualify for the World Cup finals in South Africa next year."
25/09/2009
Consultation Document on Assisted Suicide
Chief Crown Prosecutor, Harry Ireland urges all to read the interim guidance on Assisted Suicide and take part in the consultation exercise.
26/08/2009
Warwickshire CPS appoints new Chief
Zafar Siddique has been appointed as the new Chief Crown Prosecutor (CCP) for Warwickshire Crown Prosecution Service CPS).
24/07/2009
Six men charged with defrauding West Midlands police
West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has advised all concerned parties that criminal proceedings can be brought against six individuals who are alleged to have defrauded West Midlands police of more than £200,000.
15/06/2009
CPS advises not to charge three school employees
West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has today advised that there is insufficient evidence to charge three senior members of staff, who were employed at the Hillcrest School and Community College in Netherton, with any fraud related offences.
21/05/2009
West Midlands CPS Chief announces his retirement
The country's most senior and longest serving regional Chief Crown Prosecutor, David Blundell, has today announced that he will be stepping down from his post as the head of the West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on 29th May 2009.
08/05/2009
CPS Statement - R v Mark Hoolichan
The decision to prosecute Mark Hoolichan was not taken lightly, said Neil Bannister, District Crown Prosecutor for Warwickshire Crown Prosecution Service.
12/03/2009
CPS advises charge over hunt supporter death
Warwickshire Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have authorised Warwickshire Police to charge Bryan Griffiths with the murder of Trevor Morse.
03/03/2009
Region hosts Proceeds of Crime Seminar
The West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Group will be hosting a seminar on Thursday 5th March 2009 in Birmingham to explore how criminal justice agencies can work together to confiscate assets from criminals.
