Recent Achievements

  • The victim was a lady of 84 with advanced Dementia. The defendant, Charles Kent, aged 21, was a care worker at a Care Home. A fellow care worker was the 'whistle blower' and reported having seen the defendant hit the old lady's hand whist assisting her in the toilet. She then refused to attend court but attended on a witness summons. The first trial was aborted as prejudicial material was introduced. The second trial, at Burton on 14 Feb 2012 did go ahead. Two allegations of common assault were alleged, one was dismissed but the defendant was convicted of the more serious assault of hitting the elderly lady's hand. He was sentenced on 21 Feb 2012 to months a Community Order of 150 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay costs of £620 and Compensation of £50. This is a good example of a successful prosecution which shows our Elder Abuse policy in action and credit goes to our reviewing lawyer, Claire Spooner and the trial lawyer, Andrew Bodger.
  • This defendant, Emma Arnold, aged 33, was seen stealing light switches in B&Q at 11.20 a.m. on 17 February 2012 and at 3.20pm that day she had been sentenced to a suspended sentence of 20 weeks imprisonment. Emma had failed to appear on other offences, and there was a warrant without bail already in possession of the police. She was arrested for this matter interviewed at 12.30pm and then charged with the new offence and the warrant was executed. The court agreed to take a late prisoner, the Associate Prosecutor, Sandra Whitehurst, retrieved the other files and was able to review this file to be ready for the afternoon court, and the matter was concluded exactly four hours of the actual offence. This is an excellent example of 'Stop Delaying Justice' initiative at work in particular in the co-operation and co-ordination of the police courts and CPS.
  • Alexander Bede-Walsh, aged 58, was found guilty after a trial of Indecent assault and buggery.  This was the prosecution of a catholic priest for sexual abuse of children in his care. These matters go back as far as 30 years. Matters had previously been reported to the police on a number of occasions however matters had not been progressed as far as a criminal trial. This was referred to the CPS in mid 2010. A large and complex investigation was required and carried out. Witnesses had to be located from far afield and made available for the inevitable trial. The defendant being incredibly manipulative of all those around him. Indeed such so that he was supported throughout the trial by another catholic priest. The case was prosecuted to a successful outcome by our team of PPU specialist lawyers Sue Hanson and Robert Price, caseworkers Judith Perkin and Carole Walters as well as our Senior Crown Advocate. He was sentenced on 9 March 2012 to a total of 24 years imprisonment.

Home » Northern Sector

West Midlands CPS - Northern Sector

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is the main prosecuting authority in England and Wales. In our daily operations we work in partnership with all the agencies in the criminal justice system. We work especially closely with the police, although we are independent of them.

Welcome to the West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Northern Sector which serves a population of just under one million and is headed up by Colin Molloy, who is supported by his three Sector Crown Prosecutors.

The Northern Sector has two branches which are based at Etruria in Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford.  These offices serve the Crown Courts at Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent and also the Magistrate Courts at Burton-on-Trent, Cannock, Newcastle- under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford.

Within each branch are dedicated Witness Care Units.  These are jointly staffed by police and CPS employees who provide guidance, information and support for victims and civilian witnesses involved in prosecutions.

We are a public prosecution service comprised of barristers, solicitors, associate prosecutors, caseworkers, administrative support staff and witness care officers who work independently of, but closely with, the police.

We are not an investigative body and have no powers to investigate allegations of crime but can guide and assist the police to build evidentially strong cases before independently reviewing the evidence to be satisfied there is both a realistic prospect of conviction and that it is in the public interest to prosecute an offender. 

Following charge, our aim is to secure justice for our community members. We will keep you informed and support you if you are unfortunate enough to be a victim or witness of a crime.

The Code Test is very important to ensure objective consistent decisions are made applying the same criteria.  To put this in context, the CPS does not act for a victim or witness in the sense that a solicitor acts for a client.  A victim or witness may want a case to be taken further that the evidence justifies.  Whilst the interests of a victim or witness must never be overlooked, as an independent prosecuting authority our decisions must be made after proper consideration of relevant law.

Decisions to charge or commence proceedings in all but the most serious cases are made by the Charging Team which comprises of 24 lawyers and two Sector Crown Prosecutors.  Mr Molloy is pleased to have the additional responsibility to Head this Unit and to use advance telecommunication and computer systems to receive files electronically before advising and granting charging authorities. One of these teams is based in Stoke-on-Trent.  Two other offices can be found in central Birmingham and Shrewsbury.

Once satisfied a case should be charged before a court, Prosecutors present the facts at both magistrates and Crown Court venues either as trial for a decision to be reached, or for sentence following guilty plea.

This year is an exciting milestone for Colin Molloy as he and his staff embrace the use of technological advances permitting the receipt of evidence by electronic transmission and thereafter the presentation of cases at court by use of laptop computers.  The CPS is truly leading the way by the effective and efficient use of modern technology.

Senior Management Team

Colin Molloy, Senior Sector Crown Prosecutor

Colin MolloyColin began his career as a Magistrates Courts Legal Adviser from 1981 until he was called to the Bar in 1985 from which time he has been employed as a Crown Prosecutor. He has prosecuted in every Black Country Criminal Court and worked as Head of Walsall, Wolverhampton and Sandwell Districts before being appointment as the District Crown Prosecutor for the Black Country Region in 2002. He was appointed in his new role as Senior Sector Crown Prosecutor in 2011 as well as Head of the West Midlands Charging Team. 

 

Maureen Shea, Sector Crown Prosecutor

Maureen SheaMaureen commenced her career in the criminal justice system as a Trainee Court Clerk in the magistrates court in 1979, moving to Stafford as a Court Clerk in 1982. She was admitted as a solicitor in 1990, moving to private practice later that year as a criminal defence advocate, where she remained until joining CPS Staffordshire in January 1992. Maureen initially worked at the North Staffordshire office but over the years has worked in both offices. She has been a manager in Staffordshire for several years and during this time has managed both magistrates and Crown Court units.

Don Knapper, Sector Crown Prosecutor

Don KnapperDon has 25 years experience of working in the criminal justice system. He has previously been head of a magistrates court unit and a Crown Court unit with responsibility for the full range of serious criminal casework.  Don has experience working on cases with an international dimension which can be useful where defendants flee the jurisdiction or we wish to obtain evidence from abroad. 

 

Vivienne Starkie, Sector Crown Prosecutor

Viv StarkieVivienne began prosecuting in Sussex in 1978 and joined the CPS in 1986. She have been prosecuting in Staffordshire ever since and has managed the magistrates court unit. She has also taken the lead in Staffordshire for Hate Crime and Domestic Violence.