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 man who targeted lone women in a string of terrifying, random assaults has been convicted.
Kieron Anton Sewah, 32 and of May Place, attacked three women in Basingstoke in a less than one-month period last autumn before fleeing the scene.
The attacks – which included holding a 52-year…
A drink driver who left a young mother with catastrophic injuries after a hit-and-run crash has been jailed.
Dale Clark, 38, was speeding in his Toyota Rav-4 when he struck Rebecca Sharp as she was pushing her daughter in a pram across Redhill Avenue in Bournemouth shortly after 9am on 11 April…
The month of October is a significant time of the year for us. Not only do we celebrate Black History Month, but we are also committed to marking national Hate Crime Awareness Week through internal activities with our staff, and by contributing to community sessions with our criminal justice…
A man who killed a stranger with a single punch before entering a pub and bragging about it has been jailed.
Darren John Fell, 41, was convicted of manslaughter and was today sentenced to nine years in prison after striking Wayne Sheppard.
Shortly before 10pm on 2 July 2022, Fell encountered…
A former Dorset police officer who raped and sexually assaulted a friend, subjecting her to violent and demeaning behaviour, has been jailed.
Ravi Canhye, 47, was unanimously found guilty of two counts of rape, one count of attempted rape, three counts of assault by penetration and one sexual…
A man has been jailed for rape after he attacked a woman in Southampton’s Palmerston Park in February this year.
Rosario Reis, 27, pleaded guilty to rape at an earlier hearing and was sentenced to eight years and four months’ imprisonment today (21 September 2023) at Southampton Crown Court.
…
New figures from CPS internal data shows that the number of rape-flagged cases being referred to prosecutors in CPS Wessex has increased and a fifth more are being charged.
CPS Wessex has been taking part in a pilot programme to transform how adult rape cases are prosecuted, which is now being…
On a day that marks the start of Sexual Abuse and Violence Awareness Week, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Wessex is highlighting a long-term partnership project aimed at improving services offered to those who report rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO).
Developed in partnership with Dorset…
Regular contact between the CPS and police in Wessex has seen a reduction in delays on decisions and a positive shift in the number of rape cases charged in the area.
Prosecutors in the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences unit at CPS Wessex have been working with police at a much earlier…
CPS Wessex, covering Dorset, Hampshire and Isle of Wight, and Wiltshire, has secured convictions in almost 85% of all hate crime cases this year. Our prosecutors work closely with the police to ensure high quality casework and to deliver justice.
As we approach the end of Hate Crime…
Press ReleaseHate 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.
