The basic principle is that it is for the prosecution, not the court, to decide whether a prosecution should be commenced and, if commenced, whether it should continue.
This Q3 data release covers the 3-month period 1 October to 31 December 2020, with the previous three quarters provided to illustrate trends. The impact of the first national lockdown on the Criminal Justice System in 2020 continues to be reflected in the Q3 20/21 data. Nationally there are significantly more cases in the court system then in February 2020.
This legal guidance sets out how prosecutors should apply the Code for Crown Prosecutors (the Code) when considering any offences which fall within the definition of 'Honour'-Based Abuse (HBA)
About CPS data: The CPS does not publish official statistics. CPS data is operational management information, which can be used as an indicator of CPS performance.
This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been agreed between the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Immigration Enforcement (IE), and the National Police Chiefs' Council. It will take effect on 5 January 2026.
