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 transgender woman who failed to disclose her gender status to a male sexual partner has been found guilty of sexual assault today at Teesside Crown Court.Ciara Watkin, 21, of Walton Street, Stockton-on-Tees, was found guilty of multiple charges relating to sexual acts that she performed on the 21…
A man has been sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment for grooming and raping a schoolgirl in Rotherham 20 years ago.The Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) dedicated Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit prosecuted Paul Richardson, 63, following an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA) under…
A former ordained Church of England priest has been found guilty of multiple counts of indecent assaults on nine women in Sheffield in the 1980s and 1990s.Chris Brain, 68, has been found guilty of 17 counts of indecent assault at Inner London Crown Court on 20 August 2025. He was cleared of a…
Large organisations across England and Wales need to finalise preparations for a new fraud prevention law that comes into force on 1 September 2025.The reminder comes as the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) today published joint updated guidance for prosecutors…
A Merseyside man has been sentenced for sending racist death threats to the former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.Liam Shaw, 21, of Birkenhead, sent two threatening and offensive emails to the public email address of Mr Sunak, who is MP for Richmond and Northallerton in Yorkshire, on the evening of 15…
An American citizen who attempted to murder a Birmingham clothing shop owner as part of an international assassination plot, before leaving the country and going on the run, has been convicted. ‘Hitwoman’ Aimee Betro, 44, from Wisconsin, USA dressed in a niqab to hide her identity when she…
A youth has today (8 August 2025) been convicted of murdering 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose in the courtyard of a Sheffield school in February 2025The youth (who cannot be named for legal reasons) was also found guilty carrying a hunting knife into school premises at Sheffield Crown Court.He took…
Press ReleaseViolent crimeCPSYorkshire and Humberside
Three people have been charged with showing support for the proscribed terrorist group Palestine Action.Frank Ferguson, Head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “Following a review of the evidence provided by the Metropolitan Police Service, we have authorised charges…
A Leicester man has been jailed for nearly 15 years for rape and controlling or coercive behaviour, after prosecutors challenged his claim he had committed the offences in his sleep.Dean Final, 32, from Braunstone, admitted he had physically, sexually and emotionally abused two former partners…
Two teenagers who admitted torturing and killing kittens have been detained in a young offender institution and banned from ever owning pets again.The boy, 17, and girl, 17, who cannot be named due to their age, both previously pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and…
Press ReleaseViolent crimeCPSLondon North
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.
