Crown Prosecution Service in Barnet rated Fair by inspector (From Times Series)

Crown Prosecution Service in Barnet rated Fair by inspector

1:08pm Wednesday 17th March 2010 in

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PROSECUTORS in Barnet have been criticised for poor performance that has led to a sharp drop in the number of convictions.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in Barnet was rated fair in a report by HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, and urged to improve in a host of areas.

The inspector was particularly critical of the preparation of crown court cases – advocates being poorly instructed, case files reviewed at the last minute, and key instructions being missed – which has led to the drop in convictions.

In the crown court, the conviction rate has gone from 74.5 per cent last year to 70.9 per cent this year, with Barnet sitting well below the national average of 80.7 per cent.

However, Barnet's news from the inspector was not as bad as for neighbouring London boroughs Enfield, Haringey, and Harrow, which received poor ratings and were told to “urgently improve” standards.

Barnet CPS also slipped up in telling witnesses when charges had been dropped or altered, and did not adequately keep in touch with prosecution witnesses.

The inspector also noted “performance management on the borough needs to be strengthened”, but added the service had been hit during recent months by illness and staff shortages.

Alison Saunders, who took over as chief crown prosecutor for CPS London in December, said the problems highlighted are already known and being addressed.

She said: “It is comforting to find the inspector's report has not said anything we were not already aware of.

“It is now about getting the right people in the right places, and getting the structure right, to make sure you do not have cases clogging up the system.”

She said a new staffing structure, getting more people out of central offices and working through the backlog of casework, would help solved some of the problems.

She added: “Some things are already in place, and a lot of the changes are there or there abouts.

“Certainly by the time the inspectors comes next time, you will be able to see improvements and results.”