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.
A former Salisbury City Councillor who harassed his ex-girlfriend has been sentenced.Mark Mewse, 64, began his campaign of harassment after his relationship with the victim ended. He started appearing at bus stops on the route which she worked as a bus driver, and delivering a barrage of cards…
A man who raped a teenager in the sea at Bournemouth beach on 18 July 2021 has been jailed for six years and six months.Gabriel Marinoaica, 20, pulled the victim – who was 15 at the time of the offence – out of her depth before going on to sexually assault and then rape her.Marinoaica was…
During National Stalking Awareness Week, we are raising awareness of stalking behaviours and the work we are doing to ensure offenders are brought to justice.Stalking can have a catastrophic effect on victim’s lives, often altering their lives entirely. We work closely with various agencies to…
A GP who sexually assaulted his patients, including a woman with terminal cancer, has been jailed.Mohan Babu, 47, abused his position of trust by groping and kissing women without their consent while they were receiving medical treatment during routine appointments.The assaults took place between…
Prosecutors from CPS Wessex routinely secure successful outcomes in a variety of hate crime cases across the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts in Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and Wiltshire.Under hate crime legislation, courts must pass an increased sentence where the prosecutor has…
A man posing as a taxi driver who lured a lone woman into his car before raping her has been jailed – over a decade after committing a near-identical crime.On 15 April 2023, Fareed Issa Tariq, 43, picked up the woman as she was waiting for a taxi after a night out in Swindon and then drove to a…
A rapist who preyed on vulnerable young boys in the 1990’s has been jailed for 22 years.The abuse took place throughout the 1990’s in Swindon when the victims were aged between 14 and 15 years of ages.Timothy Darch, 62, met one of his victims through his work as a youth counsellor. He gained the…
Prosecutors from CPS Wessex routinely secure successful outcomes in a variety of hate crime cases across the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts in Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and Wiltshire.Under hate crime legislation, courts must pass an increased sentence where the prosecutor has…
A disbarred barrister who posted grossly offensive antisemitic material online has been sentenced.Between May 2021 and April 2022, Ian Robert Millard persistently posted about his hatred of Jewish people online, while claiming he was simply exercising his freedom of speech.Statements made by…
A group of men have been sentenced for their role in a botched robbery resulting in the death of a man in a tragic case of mistaken identity.Kieran Claffey, 29, Leighton Tabone, 24, Bradley O’Dell, 22, Aaron Morgan, 32, and Justin Roach, 40, killed Mark Noke, 64, after attempting to rob the wrong…
Press ReleaseViolent crimeWessex
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.
