Criminal cases that the Crown Prosecution Service take to court are in the news every day. This section also covers many issues related to our work, including violence against women and girls, hate crime, support for victims and witnesses, statistics, and speeches by the Director of Public Prosecutions and other senior staff.
Latest news
You can find our latest news stories here and search for older stories. You can also find more information about high-profile cases and the work of the CPS.
Working with the media
To make criminal court reporting more open, the CPS, police, and media representatives created a joint protocol (agreement) for working together. We are currently working on an updated version of the protocol.
Families were denied the dignity of proper care for their deceased loved ones after two funeral directors stored bodies in unrefrigerated conditions.Richard Elkin, 49, and Hayley Bell, 42, were convicted today following the discovery in December 2023 of serious failings at their Gosport funeral…
A husband, who manipulated a young child into helping him to kill his wife, has been found guilty of murder, having previously been acquitted of the crime in 2017. New and compelling evidence from a child witness, who was under 10-years-old at the time of the murder, led to a successful…
A callous man who punched the air in celebration after fatally attacking a man outside a Wetherspoons in London has been sentenced to 10 and a half years in jail today – highlighting the dangers associated with excessive alcohol consumption.Paul Tallant, 43, of Eltham, London, was previously…
The Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales ("the DPP”) is carrying out an investigation into the affairs of Mr David John Mills (formerly known as David John Oneal).The investigation being carried out is a civil recovery investigation under Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (…
Two men who committed unspeakable acts of violence against vulnerable children have been jailed as the CPS continues to crack down on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).Charlie Johnson, 24, and Prince Singh, 23, encouraged their victims to self-harm before illegally sharing …
Press ReleaseCyber / online crimeSexual offencesCPSLondon South
Experts have joined prosecutors to advise on how to spot hidden signs of ‘honour’-based abuse as part of a drive to improve how these complex and often-hidden crimes are prosecuted.The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) invited specialist organisations to scrutinise the handling of these cases - which…
A jealous ex-boyfriend who plotted a deadly house fire that killed a mother and her three young children has been convicted of murder, following a successful CPS prosecution.Sharaz Ali, 40 of Bradford was found guilty today of murdering Bryonie Gawith and her three children following a 4 week trial…
Press ReleaseViolent crimeCPSYorkshire and Humberside
Two men have been jailed today (Monday 8th December 2025) for committing a series of sexual offences against five teenage girls more than 25 years ago.The Crown Prosecution Service’s dedicated Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit prosecuted Imtiaz Ali, 53, and Manzorr Hussain, 54, following an…
An Iraqi man who had been extradited to Italy and convicted of terrorist offences there, has been jailed for two years and three months today for returning to the UK illegally in a small boat.Rebwar Hamad, 48, arrived with others on 19 September this year and eventually pleaded guilty to coming to…
Press ReleaseInternational and organised crimeCPSSouth East
A director of a care home agency based in East Sussex who repeatedly employed immigrants with no right to work in the UK has been jailed today. Between 2017 and 2018, Benoy Thomas, 50, recruited Indian nationals to work as care assistants through Bexhill-on-Sea based A Class Care Recruitment…
Press ReleaseFraud and economic crimeInternational and organised crimeCPSSouth East
Press Office contact details
Please note that our Press Office is NOT able to deal with issues or queries from members of the public - these contact details are for accredited journalists ONLY. Do not call this number unless you a member of the press. For all general enquiries, please visit contact.cps.gov.uk.
If you are a national or international journalist with a media enquiry, you can contact the CPS Press Office on 020 3357 0906 or email [email protected] (9am-5pm weekdays only).
For out-of-hours media enquiries please call 020 3357 0906 to reach the duty press officer.
If you follow us on social media, you can expect posts covering some or all of the following:
Operational updates on decisions to prosecute or take no further action;
Reactions and statements on trial outcomes;
Policy updates from the Director of Public Prosecutions and other prosecutors;
Updates on media appearances by CPS staff
Content that explains the role of the CPS and how we work
Highlighting of relevant work by our criminal justice partners and other stakeholders
We will aim to be fair and accurate in all the information we publish. We will aim to correct any inaccuracies as soon as possible.
We are unable to monitor social media round the clock. We are not able to engage with all those who seek a response from us due to resources but also due to privacy and the sensitive nature of some of our work. The best way to contact the CPS is through our website.
Please do not try to report crime using social media. To report crime, please call 101 or visit your local police station. In an emergency, always call 999.
If you follow us on social media we will not automatically follow you back. Being followed by us does not imply endorsement of any kind.
Media protocol
To ensure greater openness in the reporting of criminal proceedings, the CPS, the police and media representatives developed a joint protocol for working together. We are currently in the process of updating the protocol.
