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 31 - 40 of 55 results for area "North East"
A man who subjected a vulnerable woman to a terrifying and sustained sexual assault has been sentenced today at Newcastle Crown Court. Liam Maughan, 38, of Marine Avenue, Wallsend was sentenced after pleading guilty to multiple offences relating to the attack. In November 2022, Maughan invited…
A dangerous attacker who subjected a Durham woman to a violent rape attempt in her own home has been sentenced today at Durham Crown Court.Jonathan Andrew Cummings, 34, of Cookson Street, Chester-Le-Street was jailed for twelve years after pleading guilty to four charges relating to the attempted…
An armed mob from Bishop Auckland who carried out a fatal attack on a man in the garden of his home have been convicted at Teesside Crown Court.The group were involved in an attack on Lee Clarkson, 41, at his home in West Lane, Bishop Auckland in November of last year. The group had attended the…
Gary Fothergill, Specialist Prosecutor for CPS North East’s Complex Casework Unit, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised Northumbria Police to charge Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers with causing criminal damage after the Sycamore Gap tree was cut down last September.“They have also…
The following are examples of some of our successful domestic abuse prosecutions from December:The defendant pleaded guilty at the first hearing to three counts of breaching a non-molestation order, which had been imposed to protect the victim. He also pleaded guilty to further offences in a…
Under hate crime legislation the courts must pass increased sentences where prosecutors show evidence that offences either demonstrate or have been motivated by hostility towards a person’s race, religion, disability, transgender identity or sexuality. Below are examples of hate crime cases…
Under hate crime legislation the courts must pass increased sentences where prosecutors show evidence that offences either demonstrate or have been motivated by hostility towards a person’s race, religion, disability, transgender identity or sexuality. Below are examples of hate crime cases…
As part of the this week’s national Hate Crime Awareness Week, staff from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have met with staff at Middlesbrough Football Club to look at ways of improving the reporting of football related hate crime offences.
CPS North East’s Inclusion and Community…
Below are some examples of Domestic Abuse cases successfully prosecuted by CPS North East in March 2021, notwithstanding the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic.
The Defendant was convicted of harassment and assault after he assaulted his mother on Christmas day and later made two calls to her,…
Under hate crime legislation the courts must pass increased sentences where prosecutors evidence that offences either demonstrate or have been motivated by hostility towards a person’s race, religion, disability, transgender identity or sexuality. Below are examples of hate crime cases recently…
Hate crimeNorth East
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.
