CPS News Centre

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. 

Showing 21 - 26 of 26 results for area "Thames and Chiltern"

Date format: mm/dd/yyyy
Date format: mm/dd/yyyy

Man jailed after violent assault on ex-partner in Spain

A man has been jailed for nine years after pleading guilty to seriously assaulting his former partner in Spain. The assault occurred in Marbella, Spain, but was prosecuted in the UK with the CPS International team liaising with the Spanish authorities to obtain crucial evidence.Jason McInerney…
Press Release CPS Thames and Chiltern

Stevenage man jailed for life for prom night murder

A Stevenage man who stabbed a student to death on his prom night has been jailed for life today.Patrick Sharp-Meade, 20, was given a life sentence for murdering 18-year-old Kajetan Migdal in a vicious attack after he and his friends left their school prom in Stevenage in May 2022.The school friends…
Press Release Violent crime Thames and Chiltern

Murderer and cat killer Scarlet Blake jailed for life

Scarlet Blake will spend at least 24 years in prison after being found guilty of murdering 30-year-old Jorge Carreno in Oxford in 2021.Blake, 26, who is a transgender woman, targeted Mr Carreno as he was walking home after a night out. She took him to a secluded area near the river, then attacked…
Press Release Violent crime Thames and Chiltern

Nurse jailed for sexually assaulting 85-year-old woman

A nurse who sexually assaulted an 85-year-old woman in her home has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.Steven Hicks, 60, was one of the healthcare professionals who had been providing care to a woman after she was released from hospital following a fall.On 5 January 2022, wearing medical…
Press Release Sexual offences Thames and Chiltern

CPS Thames and Chiltern initiatives see a significant rise in rape charges

Successful initiatives in CPS Thames and Chiltern have seen a significant rise in rape cases being charged. CPS Thames and Chiltern have seen their charge rate for rape cases increase from 60.5% in 2018-19 to 77.5% in 2019-20. This increase is a result of initiatives that the area has launched…
Press Release Sexual offences CPS Thames and Chiltern

CPS Thames and Chiltern - Increased numbers receiving tougher hate crime sentences

Increased numbers of tougher hate crime sentences are being passed by the courts after applications made by the CPS, data published today 16 October reveals. Under hate crime legislation the courts must pass increased sentences where prosecutors evidence that offences have been motivated by…
Press Release Hate crime Thames and Chiltern

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.

Follow us on X: @cpsuk, Instagram: @crownprosecutors and LinkedIn.

The Crown Prosecution Service on social media

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.

Read the current protocol

Sign up for a regular newsletter from your local CPS Area

Receive regular newsletters from your local CPS area.

Sign up now

Blogs

Learn more about the CPS and read more of our stories on our blog.

Blogs