AC2.1 Explain the requirements of the Crown Prosecution Service for prosecuting suspects.
The CPS was established in 1986, as a result of the Prosecution of Offences
Act 1986 in order to: End the police being the body to decide which case goes
to court, avoid conflict of interest, Be an unbiased organisation and partly to
make best use of public money and national investment.
The case study of Derek Bentley is what initiated the creation of the CPS due
to the miscarriage of justice that occurred. Derek Bentley and his 16-year-old
friend Christopher Craig attempted a burglary, Craig was armed with a
revolver. They were notified and police were called to the scene. Craig
decided to shoot himself out of the conflict with the police and shot a police
officer in the shoulder. Bentley had shouted ‘Let him have its Chris’ and Craig
had shot and murdered the police officer. Both were charged with murder;
however, it was unfair to convict Bentley as his words meanings and motives
were unclear. He may have been suggesting Craig to hand over his weapon
to the police without any malicious intent.
The CPS role is to: Advise the police in early stages of an investigation,
decide which cases to prosecute, Determine appropriate charges, Prepare
cases for court and Present Cases in court.
The CPS was established in 1986, as a result of the Prosecution of Offences
Act 1986 in order to: End the police being the body to decide which case goes
to court, avoid conflict of interest, Be an unbiased organisation and partly to
make best use of public money and national investment.
The case study of Derek Bentley is what initiated the creation of the CPS due
to the miscarriage of justice that occurred. Derek Bentley and his 16-year-old
friend Christopher Craig attempted a burglary, Craig was armed with a
revolver. They were notified and police were called to the scene. Craig
decided to shoot himself out of the conflict with the police and shot a police
officer in the shoulder. Bentley had shouted ‘Let him have its Chris’ and Craig
had shot and murdered the police officer. Both were charged with murder;
however, it was unfair to convict Bentley as his words meanings and motives
were unclear. He may have been suggesting Craig to hand over his weapon
to the police without any malicious intent.
The CPS role is to: Advise the police in early stages of an investigation,
decide which cases to prosecute, Determine appropriate charges, Prepare
cases for court and Present Cases in court.
