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 1 - 10 of 11 results for crime type "Fraud and economic crime" & area "Mersey-Cheshire"
A jobless fraudster who claimed to be the “British Kardashian” has been jailed for swindling people out of thousands of pounds in a handbag sales hoax.At Chester Crown Court on 6 October 2025, Jack Watkin, 26, of Wilmslow Road in Alderley Edge in Cheshire, was sentenced to four years and six months…
Press ReleaseFraud and economic crimeMersey-Cheshire
A jobless fraudster who claimed to be the “British Kardashian” has pleaded guilty to swindling people out of thousands of pounds in a handbag sales hoax.At Chester Crown Court today, Jack Watkin, 26, of Wilmslow Road in Alderley Edge in Cheshire, pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud by false…
Press ReleaseFraud and economic crimeMersey-Cheshire
A woman who worked for the Department of Work and Pensions has been sentenced for stealing from the agency’s sports and social club.Emily Spencer, 28, of Devizes Drive in Irby, Merseyside, was appointed co-treasurer of the club in October 2023 and stole £2,328 by paying the club’s money into her…
Press ReleaseFraud and economic crimeMersey-Cheshire
Two Merseyside men involved in a Liverpool FC ticket scam have been sentenced.John Stuart, 42, of Jarrett Road in Kirkby was jailed for 8 months and Greg O’Neill, 41, of Beaconsfield, in Prescot, was given a two-year community order at Liverpool Crown Court today (27 August 2024).Mr Stuart was the…
Press ReleaseFraud and economic crimeMersey-Cheshire
A farmer has been sentenced for organising the illegal felling of trees shortly before he was imprisoned for another environmental offence.John Pudge Price, 69 of Day House Farm in Leominster, pleaded guilty today (31 January 2024) to illegally felling a large area of alder, willow, hazel and thorn…
Press ReleaseFraud and economic crimeMersey-Cheshire
A care home worker who stole a wedding ring and signet ring from an elderly resident whose wife had died just days before has been jailed.Emma Skinner, 42, of Thackray Road, Thatto Heath on Merseyside, was working at a care home in Maghull when she stole the rings.The victim had been married to his…
Press ReleaseFraud and economic crimeMersey-Cheshire
A hotel owner has been jailed for fraudulently claiming thousands of pounds from Government schemes to help businesses survive the Covid crisis.
Shahid Naseeb Ahmed, 42, tried to falsely claim around £138,840 from the Government’s Eat Out To Help Out Scheme (EOTHO) and the Coronavirus Job…
Press ReleaseFraud and economic crimeMersey-Cheshire
Hossein Ali Najafi, 57, has today been sentenced to 29 months’ imprisonment at Manchester Crown Square after he falsely claimed £349,000 worth of benefits he was not entitled to.
He applied for a passport in August 2011, in the name of Hossein Ali Najafi, which stated his birthplace as Tehran…
Press ReleaseFraud and economic crimeMersey-Cheshire
A woman who worked for the Department of Work and Pensions has been sentenced for diverting benefits from claimants into her own bank account.
The Crown Prosecution Service said that Kristy Merner, 44 of Crosby, Liverpool, diverted 20 payments of Employment Support Allowance meant for genuine…
Press ReleaseFraud and economic crimeMersey-Cheshire
A teenage phone hacker who stole more than £66,000 from both individuals and companies has been sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment, suspended for a year.
Over a two-year period, Connor Turner, 18, of Finborough Road in Walton, stole £66,551 by fraudulently gaining access to the phones…
Press ReleaseCyber / online crimeFraud and economic crimeMersey-Cheshire
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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.
