Specialist prosecutors for organised criminals
A dedicated team of specialist prosecutors for serious organised criminals has been unveiled by the Attorney General.
The move is designed to complement the work of the new Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) – dubbed the British FBI.
The Government estimates that organised crime could be worth at least £20 billion a year in the UK. It has a direct effect on the lives of ordinary communities, for example through the trafficking of heroin and the resulting burglaries to fund the habit.
The Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill – which will create SOCA – was published in November.
Speaking at the time, Home Office Minister Caroline Flint said: “The Serious Organised Crime Agency will look to disrupt and thwart criminals going about their illegal activities. The agency will provide a specialised and relentless attack on organised crime, getting on the front foot, constraining, harassing and limiting criminals at every opportunity, until the UK simply becomes too hostile an environment for them to operate in.”
Outlining the parallel prosecution arrangements today, Lord Goldsmith said: “The specialist prosecutors will leave their traditional roles behind, and start a new generation of a more visible, self-confident and world-class prosecutors.
“We have a straightforward objective – to reduce the harm done to the British people by organised crime. We want to make the UK one of the least attractive locations in the world for organised crime to operate. Prosecution is a vital part of our strategy. It is the way to put criminals out of circulation for a long time and confiscate their assets. Above all, prosecution is the way to increase the personal risk for criminals, especially the criminal kingpins.”
He added that they would be drawn from existing experienced trial lawyers in private practice.
The prosecution team will be based at both the Crown Prosecution Service and the Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office, which will be established this year.
The Attorney General said that the prosecutors would “robustly” use the new powers granted under the act – particularly to acquire criminal assets – and will have the sole power to accept and offer co-operation under the Queen’s Evidence system.
This is where an individual is offered a lesser charge or sentence in return for giving testimony against former criminal associates. The act will also put these arrangements on a statutory footing.
