Crime journalists complain to head of CPS over release of information

By Margaret Davis, Reporter21st January 2025News EnglandCourts / Justice, News England

A group of crime journalists has complained to the head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) over perceived interference in the release of information by police.

Chair of the Crime Reporters’ Association (CRA) Rebecca Camber wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson (pictured) on Tuesday following a row over the release of details about the Southport case.

Journalists had pushed for the full background of the case to be published following the guilty pleas entered by Axel Rudakubana on Monday.

Ms Camber, who is also Crime and Security Editor of the Daily Mail, wrote: “There has been a worrying pattern whereby forces wanting to provide information to the press have been instructed to stay silent.

“The CRA are concerned that this is undermining efforts to improve police press relations and affecting public confidence and trust in policing and the wider criminal justice system.”

Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said that the force had wanted to say more about the Southport case at an earlier stage but was advised not to by prosecutors, as did head of UK Counter-terrorism policing Matt Jukes.

The advice given was not to risk releasing information that could prejudice a criminal trial.

Widespread disorder broke out after the Southport killings, and false rumours were spread online that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had been known to MI6.

Ms Camber wrote that the CPS decision on Monday to try to stop the media reporting full details provided at a pre-trial briefing despite the guilty pleas could allow conspiracy theories to flourish.

“The CRA believes that this decision was contrary to open justice principles and risked fuelling a dangerous narrative of cover-up and conspiracy, which had previously fanned the flames of disorder.

“Given the highly sensitive nature of the case, police were desperate to explain in full their commendable efforts to investigate Rudakubana, his background and why decisions were taken about charges. Instead, the force was effectively gagged.

“Officers felt that they had been denied that opportunity to reveal the full facts to the public and provide vital reassurance that this was not a cover-up.”

She added: “It is no coincidence that reactions from almost every politician to the guilty pleas yesterday focused on the release of information.

“The CRA believes there has been a significant overreach by the CPS in this case which has fuelled a cover-up narrative.”

The CRA complained about another two cases where the CPS had stepped in over planned police briefings to the media.

In a separate investigation, another force was told by the CPS that they should not brief the media about the suspected whereabouts of a fugitive accused of murder, and he is still at large.

This is despite success when the media has publicised other manhunts, including the search for Sara Sharif’s father, stepmother and uncle.

And a third force was advised last week by the prosecuting body to cancel a pre-trial briefing on an alleged killer on the grounds that charges had been delayed.

A review following the disastrous media handling of the search for Nicola Bulley highlighted the risk of social media commentators filling the vacuum if mainstream, trained journalists are not kept informed.

“The CRA has heard concerns from several forces who feel they cannot move forward with the recommendations of the review due to the CPS preventing police briefings taking place and seeking to censor press officers who cannot even offer guidance to reporters due to CPS insistence on the control of information,” Ms Camber added.

Responding to the letter, Mr Parkinson said: Questions have been raised as to why certain information about the Southport case could not be made public earlier. The position taken by the police and the Government on disclosure of information reflected the advice given by the CPS, which was accepted by them. It is important that it is understood why our advice needed to be given.

“In short, releasing that information earlier would have put the trial at risk. As has now become apparent, until Axel Rudakabana pleaded guilty on Monday to all offences with which he was charged, the CPS had been preparing for a full trial. No defence had been served, and so there was the potential that all evidence would be challenged.

“Public reporting of significant information before the conclusion of the trial, including about the actions of the Axel Rudakabana on the day and some elements of his past history would have posed a serious risk to the integrity of the trial and risked undermining justice for the victims and their families. Delivering justice for the victims and their families was and remains our absolute priority and we could not and would not have been prepared to agree to anything to put that at risk.

“The CPS will present the full case to the court on Thursday. The independence of the judge must be respected. Only he can determine the facts which may inform the sentence handed down.

“I understand there is frustration at the lack of full and immediate information about such serious crimes, but I hope it will now be understood why that had to be the case.”