updated: 27 February 2025; 23 August 2024; 27 February 2025

This guidance deals with the legal and technical issues that arise when considering offences relating to drink/drug driving. The purpose of the guidance is to assist prosecutors with: selection of appropriate charges, including alternative offences for trial purposes, consideration of relevant statutory defences tools to address common defence challenges.

Updated September 2019

When considering whether to prosecute the CPS prosecutor applies the test for prosecution outlined in the Code for Crown Prosecutors (the Code)

Updated: 31 May 2022 and 09 September 2022

This Legal Guidance is intended to assist when prosecutors are asked to advise on allegations that an offence has been committed involving a doll with childlike characteristics which is capable of being used for sexual purposes. It relates to possible offences of importing a childlike sex doll, distributing or selling it (or having it with intent to do so), or sending it by post. There is no offence of simple possession of a childlike sex doll.

Updated: 17 August 2023; 27 November 2023; minor revision 19 January 2024, 7 February 2025

Updated: 20 May 2021

Updated: 30 Jan 2020; 15 Oct 2024; 18 May 2026

Updated: 20 Nov 2023, 1 Nov 2024; 10 Nov 2025

Experts can be of great assistance to magistrates and juries in helping them to determine the issues in a case, including the guilt or innocence of an accused. Prosecutors will require the appropriate knowledge and understanding of the evidence in question to present and challenge expert evidence. The purpose of this Guidance is to assist prosecutors in identifying, understanding and challenging, where appropriate, this type of evidence.

Updated: 26 February 2021, 25 Jan 2023

This guidance explains when prosecutors may institute or reinstitute criminal proceedings after the CPS has told a suspect or defendant that there will not be a prosecution, or that the prosecution has been stopped.

updated 18 Oct 2019; 2 Sep 2024; 29 Jun 2026

Trespass is not of itself a criminal offence. However there are some offences in which trespass is an essential element and this guidance sets out the most commonly encountered examples of such offences. Prosecutors should also have regard as appropriate to the CPS legal guidance on Public Order Offences and Offences during Protests, Demonstrations and Campaigns.

Issued 17 Oct 2013, revised 26 Jul 2017, updated 22 Nov 2018, 11 Jan 2023, 14 Jan 2026; 29 Jun 2026