Updated: 12 Oct 2021; 18 Aug 2025; 10 Nov 2025

Updated: 22 April 2020: 30 March 2023

Custody Time Limits (CTL) safeguard unconvicted defendants by preventing them from being held in pre-trial custody for an excessive period of time. The Act and Regulations governing CTLs require the prosecution to progresses cases to trial diligently and expeditiously.

Updated: 28 April 2020; 17 June 2024; 31 January 2025

Updated 15 January 2019 and 09 September 2022

The immunities granted to diplomatic staff, and their families, are set out in the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (VCDR), the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963 (VCCR) and Consular Relations Act 1968. The relevant provisions of the Conventions are applied in the UK by Section 2 of the Diplomatic Privileges Act 1964 (DPA 1964).

Updated: 3 March 2022

This guidance sets out the factors to be taken into consideration when reviewing cases and prosecuting offences classified as Disability Hate Crime (DHC). It also addresses the approach to be taken in other cases in which disability is a factor.

Updated: 2 August 2022; Updated 4 October 2023

The CPS is sometimes asked to supply to third parties copies of documents held in prosecution files. The request might be made for the purpose of prosecuting or defending a private prosecution; for civil proceedings; for proceedings involving interested third parties such as local authorities in child care cases, NOMS, Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority; or miscellaneous requests for the purpose of local crime prevention initiatives etc.

Updated: 5 November 2021

This guidance is intended to provide information on the stance taken by the Courts in relation to Non Accidental Head Injury (NAHI) cases and to assist prosecutors in the approach and presentation of such cases.

Revised: January 2019; 6 Feb 2026

updated 26 February 2020 link for Sentencing Councils Totality definitive guidelines

These include:

Reviewed and updated April 2023