CPS News Centre

Criminal cases prosecuted by the CPS are in the news every day, along with a range of issues relating to our work – from violence against women and girls and hate crime, to support for victims and witnesses, statistics and speeches.

To ensure greater openness in the reporting of criminal proceedings, the CPS, the police and media representatives developed a joint protocol for working together.

Here you can find our latest news stories and search for others. You can also find additional details about a number of high-profile cases and the work of the CPS.

Sign up for a regular newsletter from your local CPS Area

Media enquiries

National, international and specialist media should contact the main 24-hour press office.

Local media should contact their Area Communications Manager during normal working hours.

Eighty-four-year old man jailed for life for murdering his neighbour

An 84-year-old man who attacked his neighbour with a spade and killed him has been jailed for life.

23 November 2023 | Press Release , Violent crime , Mersey-Cheshire News

Persistent sex offender jailed and deemed "dangerous"

A persistent sex offender whose assaults on four women in St Helens left them shocked and traumatised, has been jailed and deemed as “dangerous”.

22 November 2023 | Press Release , Sexual offences , Mersey-Cheshire News

Gang who plotted to kill a man but murdered his innocent girlfriend jailed

On Wednesday 22 November at Liverpool Crown Court, four men were sentenced to a total of 173 years in prison for the murder of Ashley Dale at her home in Old Swan in August 2022, conspiracy to murder Ashley’s boyfriend Lee Harrison and conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon, namely a Skorpion

20 November 2023 | Press Release , International and organised crime, Violent crime , CPS, Mersey-Cheshire News

Hotel owner jailed for fraudulent Eat Out to Help Out claims

A hotel owner has been jailed for fraudulently claiming thousands of pounds from Government schemes to help businesses survive the Covid crisis.

10 November 2023 | Press Release , Fraud and economic crime , Mersey-Cheshire News

Dangerous predatory paedophile jailed

A Merseyside man who consistently sexually abused a girl from when she was 9 until she was 15 has been given a 16-year custodial sentence in total.

02 November 2023 | Press Release , Sexual offences , Mersey-Cheshire News

Man who sexually abused four-year-old child jailed

A man who sexually abused a four-year-old child has been sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment.

24 October 2023 | Press Release , Sexual offences , Mersey-Cheshire News

A benefits swindler who claimed money under two identities has been sentenced

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.

24 October 2023 | Press Release , Fraud and economic crime , Mersey-Cheshire News

DWP officer sentenced for benefits fraud

A woman who worked for the Department of Work and Pensions has been sentenced for diverting benefits from claimants into her own bank account.

19 October 2023 | Press Release , Fraud and economic crime , Mersey-Cheshire News

CPS Mersey-Cheshire success in joint police knife-crime pilot

A targeted stop and search pilot in Merseyside is helping to cut knife crime offending across the region.

19 October 2023 | Press Release , Violent crime , Mersey-Cheshire News

Drugs and firearms dealer who was also involved in the shooting of a man by a school is jailed

A drugs and firearms dealer, who was involved in the shooting of another man within yards of children leaving a primary school, has been given a 29-year sentence.

28 September 2023 | Press Release , Drug offences , Mersey-Cheshire News

Search CPS News

In-depth - a deeper look at high-profile cases and the work of the CPS

'You can trust me, I'm a police officer' couldn't be further from the truth
How 13 women's testimonies secured the fate of serial rapist David Carrick
How a criminal case works
From reporting to appeals - how a criminal case works, end-to-end.
How we make our decisions
How does the CPS make the decision to prosecute - or not?
Our criminal justice partners
We don't just work with the police - here's a look at our many partners within the criminal justice system.
Transforming our service to victims at the CPS
Being a victim of crime can be deeply traumatic, and for those who find themselves in the criminal justice system the process can feel overwhelming, unfamiliar, and incredibly challenging.

Articles and speeches

Read articles and speeches from the CPS on matters of relevance to the Criminal Justice System

Articles and Speeches

CPS Says

The CPS position on major issues in the news, our response to inaccuracies in media reports and our letters to the media.

CPS Says...

Contacts: National media

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 call the General Enquiries line: 020 3357 0899 or 020 3357 0000 (09:00-17:00, Monday-Friday) or 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 cps.pressoffice@cps.gov.uk (9am-5pm weekdays only).

For out-of-hours media enquiries please call 020 3357 0906 to reach the duty press officer.

Contacts: Local media

Cymru/Wales
Richard Paull
Email: richard.paull@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 02920 803950

East Midlands
Graham Buchanan
Email: Graham.Buchanan@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 0115 852 3343

East of England
Gillian Andrews
Email: gillian.andrews@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 01245 455027

London (North and South)
Wendy Wyeth or Molly Barker
Email: london.communications@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 02380 673873

Mersey-Cheshire
Jackie Rand
Email: jackie.rand@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 0151 239 6334

North East
Chris Black
Email: chris.black@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 0191 260 4216

North West
Kerry Bell
Email: kerry.bell@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 0161 827 4705

South East
Cheryl Pendry
Email: cheryl.pendry@cps.gov.uk
Telephones: 01227 655862 / 07876 390054

South West
Gary Cockram
Email: gary.cockram@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 0117 930 2968

Thames and Chiltern
Angie Patton
Email: Angie.Patton@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 01189 513625

Wessex
Wessex Communications
Email: wessex.communications@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 02380 673873

West Midlands
Kofo Baptist
Email: kofo.baptist@cps.gov.uk
Telephone: 0203 357 0625

Yorkshire and Humberside
Elizabeth Ogborn
Email: elizabeth.ogborn@cps.gov.uk
Telephones: 0113 290 2839 / 07500 835186

Our social media policy

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.

Follow us on social media

Keep up to date

Accessibility controls