The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has published an update on the legal case involving Aftab Baig, who defrauded Leeds City Council of over £710,000 intended to support small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. Baig was sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty on 12 February 2025 at Leeds Crown Court of three counts of fraud under s 1 of the Fraud Act 2006. The fraud was committed by making fraudulent grant claims against thirty-two Greggs properties and diverting the funds into a business account. The investigation was conducted by the National Investigation Service (NATIS), and the CPS plans to recover any assets obtained through this criminal activity.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced that former NHS manager Alec Gandy has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for defrauding £123,000 from Dudley Integrated Health and Care NHS Trust between August 2022 and December 2023. Gandy pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position under the Fraud Act 2006 (FA 2006) after creating fictitious temporary workers and authorising fraudulent invoices. In a related development, two co-conspirators were sentenced for money laundering offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (PoCA 2002). The CPS is also pursuing confiscation proceedings to recover the criminal benefits obtained through these offences.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced that two men have been handed prison sentences over a £36m fraud. Paul Seakens, 60, and Luke Ryan, 33, were sentenced to 13 years and six years respectively. The men were directors of Enviro Associates, which sold Voluntary Emission Reduction (VERs) carbon credits to people. However, the VERs, which were bought for very high sums and then sold for up to 1,000% more than the men had paid for them, were basically worthless. The CPS has said the scheme was essentially money laundering. The men were sentenced by the new specialist court, Prospero House Southwark.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced the sentencing of five defendants following a fraud committed against Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, resulting in losses of £218,306.84 between December 2016 and January 2019. Edias Mazambani, a former NHS credit controller, was sentenced to three years and eight months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to fraud, having authorised 34 fraudulent refund payments from trust accounts. George Magaya received a sentence of three years and two months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to money laundering offences involving £23,623.92. Rose Magaya, Sinqobile Pasipandoya and Michelle Tengende were each given suspended sentences of 18 months, 18 months and 12 months respectively for related money laundering offences. The investigation was conducted by the NHS Counter Fraud Authority in liaison with the CPS. The CPS has confirmed that proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA 2002) will be initiated to recover criminally obtained funds and assets.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced the launch of a new barrister development programme, the Go Prosecute programme, to help new qualifying barristers gain valuable prosecution experience. The programme’s ten vacancies across England and Wales will be live from 28 October to 17 November 2024. Offers will be made in December 2024 and those who are selected begin work in January 2025 and they will spend a maximum of two years working for the CPS before returning to chambers practice. The aim of the programme is to help new barristers build a strong relationship with the CPS at the start of their career. During their first year, the successful applicants will work on cases in the magistrates’ court, youth court, and non-contested hearing and appeals in the Crown Court and move to more intricate work if they continue in the second year.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced that two men who sexually abused vulnerable children at an orphanage over 50 years ago have bene jailed on 18 May 2021. Raymond Mongan and Alfred Spraggon, were sentenced for numerous charges in relation to sexual abuse of young boys. Offences were committed between 1958 and 1966 at Newcastle Orphanage. Mongan had pleaded guilty previously to nine charges relating to the abuse of six victims, who were aged seven–14 at the time, and Spraggon had pleaded not guilty previously to 12 charges, but was then found guilty of the abuse of two victims, who were aged 11–13 at the time. Several of the victims had died before the case came to court.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced that two members of a national fraud gang have been ordered to repay over £107,056 to charities—including Great Ormond Street Hospital, Children in Need, Mind, The Children’s Society, and Comic Relief—following their 2023 convictions alongside five other individuals. Both David Levi and Stephen Chesterman posed as charity collectors, with Levi also impersonating the Children in Need mascot, Pudsey Bear. The pair misdirected donations meant for these charities to fund their criminal lifestyles. As a result of their convictions, Levi has been ordered to repay £4,438 to Children in Need, The Children’s Society, and Mind within 56 days, with failure to comply potentially resulting in an additional three months’ imprisonment. Similarly, Chesterman is required to pay £102,618 to Great Ormond Street Hospital within three months, with non-compliance potentially leading to an 18‑month default sentence.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has secured a confiscation order totalling £64m against Anthony Constantinou, former director of Capital World Markets (CWM), following his 2023 conviction for fraud and money laundering. The order, issued on 19 June 2025 at Southwark Crown Court, requires payment within three months or triggers an additional 14-year prison sentence. The CPS determined Constantinou's total criminal benefit at £97.9m from a forex investment scheme that defrauded investors between 2013-15. A compensation order for the full £64m was also issued to reimburse victims.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised charges against Ajay Pant, the captain of the MV Smyrtos, a Russian ‘shadow fleet’ oil tanker, following the vessel’s seizure in the English Channel on 14 June 2026. Pant has been charged with contravening regulation 46Z9B of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, SI 2019/855, by directly or indirectly supplying or delivering prohibited oil or oil products by ship from Russia to a third country. The charge follows an investigation by the National Crime Agency. Pant was due to appear at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on 16 June 2026.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised charges against Britannia Jinky Jersey Ltd, Pontins' parent company, for corporate manslaughter following a 2019 ducting collapse at Brean Sands Holiday Park. The charges relate to the death of Wendy Jones in August 2019. Additionally, Stephen Bennison faces charges under section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The first hearing in this case, which was investigated by Avon and Somerset Police and Somerset Council, will be before Bristol magistrates' court on 6 May 2025.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised charges against Higgins Homes PLC and four individuals following the death of Michaela Boor in east London in 2018. The company faces corporate manslaughter charges under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, while four individuals are charged with gross negligence manslaughter. All defendants also face Health and Safety at Work Act offences. The charges relate to an incident where falling bricks struck Boor as she walked past a building site. The defendants will appear at Westminster magistrates' court on 16 June 2025.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has authorised criminal charges against UK Athletics Limited and its former Head of Sport, Keith Davies, following the 2017 death of Paralympic athlete Abdullah Hayayei. UK Athletics faces charges of corporate manslaughter and violating the Health and Safety at Work Act, while Davies is charged with gross negligence manslaughter and a related health and safety offence. The charges stem from an incident where a metal throwing cage collapsed on Hayayei during training at Newham Leisure Centre. Both defendants are scheduled to appear at Westminster magistrates' court on 31 January. The CPS has emphasised the importance of fair trial rights and cautioned against prejudicial reporting or commentary.