CPS News Brief

Reminder: CPS legal trainee scheme 2013

Applications to the Crown Prosecution Service 2013 legal trainee scheme will close on Friday 5 April and talented law graduates seeking an interesting and rewarding career in the public service are encouraged to apply.

Keir Starmer QC, Director of Public Prosecutions, said:

"Following the successful relaunch of our legal trainee scheme last year, we are delighted to be able to offer a further 10 trainee positions to top aspiring solicitors and barristers for 2013.

"We are looking for inspirational, hard-working, top quality trainees who want to make a vital contribution to delivering justice for victims and witnesses.

"Successful candidates will have the opportunity to get involved in the varied and fascinating work of the CPS, with both 12 month pupillages and two year training contracts available."

Matthew Treece, a pupil barrister who joined the CPS as part of the 2012 trainee scheme, said:

"Since joining the CPS last November, I have had the opportunity to shadow a number of different advocates and experience the hard, but really interesting work involved in bringing such a variety of cases to court.

"I am thrilled to be helping make sure that the right offenders are prosecuted for the right crimes and look forward to being able to contribute more as I gain experience."

Once qualified, each trainee will be offered a permanent role as a Crown Prosecutor with an expectation that they will continue to progress to the role of Senior Crown Prosecutor and beyond. Mr Starmer added:

"We know from last year that because of the exciting and interesting work involved, the CPS trainee scheme is highly competitive, with over 1,000 applications in 2012. We are committed to recruiting and developing outstanding lawyers and the legal trainee scheme is a valuable way of bringing new talent into the organisation."

The 10 available trainee posts are based across the organisation in CPS London, CPS Thames & Chiltern and CPS HQ's Welfare, Rural & Health Division.

More details about the roles and how to apply can be found on the CPS website.

Operation Yewtree: CPS decides David Smith should be charged with five offences

Alison Saunders, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS London said,

“The CPS has carefully considered the evidence gathered as part of Operation Yewtree in relation to David Smith, who was employed as a driver at the time of the allegations. The CPS received a file of evidence on 21 December 2012. Further enquiries were necessary and the result of those enquiries was received by the CPS on 18th March.

“We have concluded, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction, and that it is in the public interest for David Smith to be charged with five offences.

They are:

• Indecent assault on a boy under the age of 14 years (01/06/1984 - 21/07/1984)

• Indecent assault on a boy under the age of 14 years (01/06/1984 - 21/07/1984)

• Gross indecency with a boy under the age of fourteen years of age (01/06/1984 - 21/07/1984)

• Gross indecency with a boy under the age of fourteen years of age (01/06/1984 - 21/07/1984)

• Male person committing buggery with a boy under 16 years of age (01/07/1984 - 21/07/1984)

“David Smith will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 8 May 2013.

“David Smith has been charged with criminal offences and has a right to a fair trial. It is very important that nothing is said, or reported, which could prejudice that trial. For these reasons it would be inappropriate for me to comment further."

CPS statement on police officer convicted of theft and conspiracy to supply controlled drugs

Alison Storey, Specialist Prosecutor in the Crown Prosecution Service Special Crime Division, said:

“As a detective constable, Nicholas McFadden should have been taking drugs off the streets. Instead, he was stealing the very drugs the police had seized, and putting them straight back there.

“He exploited his trusted position by stealing large quantities of heroin, cocaine and cannabis and conspiring with his elder brother, Simon McFadden, to sell them for a significant profit.

“The brothers acquired at least £600,000 in total from their criminal activities, which they used to fund increasingly extravagant lifestyles. Almost £160,000 in cash was also found in bags in Nicholas McFadden’s garage. However, the pair’s convictions today prove that corrupt police officers are not above the law they are expected to uphold and they, and their criminal acquaintances, will be brought to justice.”

Background

Nicholas McFadden was a detective constable within the Organised Crime Group of West Yorkshire Police.

Both Nicholas and Simon McFadden have been found guilty at Leeds Crown Court of theft and conspiracy to supply controlled drugs.

Simon McFadden was also found guilty of acquiring, using or possessing criminal property contrary to section 329 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Nicholas McFadden previously pleaded guilty to acquiring, using or possessing criminal property contrary to section 329 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 on 1 February 2013. Karen McFadden, married to Simon, pleaded guilty to the same charge on 16 November 2012.

All three will be sentenced on Thursday 4 April.

Philpotts and Mosley guilty of deaths of six children in a house fire

Michael and Mairead Philpott have been found guilty of manslaughter for causing the deaths of their six children in a house fire in Derby. Paul Mosley, a friend of the couple, has also been found guilty of the same offences. The case was described by CPS Crown Advocate Samantha Shallow as “a plan that went disastrously and tragically wrong”.

The Philpott children, Duwayne, Jade, John, Jack, Jesse and Jayden, all tragically died from the effects of the fire at their home in Victory Road, Derby on 11 May last year. Samantha Shallow, from the Crown Prosecution Service’s East Midlands Complex Casework Unit, worked closely with Derbyshire Police and officers from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, providing legal advice to the investigation.

Ms Shallow said:

“Today’s verdict shows that the children died as a result of the actions of Michael and Mairead Philpott and Paul Mosley when they set the fire. It was started as a result of a plan between the three of them to turn family court proceedings in Mr Philpott’s favour. It was a plan that went disastrously and tragically wrong.

“This has been a challenging and harrowing case to prosecute. I am grateful that so many people from the local community came to court and gave evidence. This cannot have been easy and I would like to thank them for coming forward and enabling us to get to the truth.

“Amid all the details of the defendants’ personal lives that have come out in court, it should not be forgotten that at the heart of this case were the deaths of six innocent children.

“I extend the condolences of the whole prosecution team to the family and friends of the six children for their tragic loss.”