The Crown Prosecution Service complex casework units undertake some of the most complex and serious casework handled by the CPS. A recent report published by the Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate has found that CPS complex casework units are staffed by highly dedicated, skilled and professional teams who deliver high-quality casework, often in demanding circumstances and at short notice.

The CPS East Midlands complex casework unit recently worked on an operation called Operation Trent, which concerned prosecutions against a criminal gang for drug-related activities during 2017 and 2018. A total of 26 people were convicted, and the two main defendants received sentences of 20 years and 19 years, respectively, with the majority of other defendants receiving custodial sentences ranging from five to thirteen years.

The CPS complex case units are effective and efficient, with an overall high standard of work found by Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate. However, while some areas for improvement were identified, we remain willing to discuss matters and look at issues raised.

The CPS works very hard to prosecute and charge all cases referred, with 65% of rape cases leading to charges. More needs to be done, but it is important to note that only about 5,000 out of the recorded 55,000 rapes were actually referred to the Crown Prosecution Service.

The CPS is doing all it can, along with other parts of the criminal justice system, to clear the backlog that has accumulated due to this pandemic. More staff have been hired by the CPS thanks to an £85 million cash injection in 2019 and another £23 million last year from the Government. However, I regularly meet people across the criminal justice system to work on clearing the backlog as effectively and efficiently as possible.