Go Prosecute

Go Prosecute is a new Crown Prosecution Service scheme, giving recently qualified barristers at the self-employed Bar the opportunity to join us for up to two years as a Crown Advocate.

You gain practical experience of prosecution work - conducting advocacy in the magistrates' court, youth court and Crown Court. You receive comprehensive training and support, plus access to employee benefits including a competitive Civil Service pension, regular salary and a generous annual leave allowance.

This is a unique opportunity to gain well-rounded experience of the criminal justice system at the start of your career. You work on a variety of cases - making a real difference to society by helping us to deliver justice, before returning to your Chambers with valuable insight into our work.

Job description
Your roles and responsibilities:

To conduct advocacy in respect of all magistrates' court prosecutions, straightforward Youth Court cases, simple Crown Court mention hearings, bail applications and appeals, Plea and Trial Preparation Hearings, committals for sentence, and appeals to the Crown Court.

To decide, based on the evidence, whether prosecutions should proceed or be discontinued in summary and either-way matters heard in the magistrates' court.

To decide which witnesses should be used, and what evidence adduced, in summary cases and either-way cases heard in the magistrates' court.

To decide which statements to serve under section 9 Criminal Justice Act 1967. You decide what charges are appropriate, and what representations to make in respect of venue in cases triable either-way. You also provide agreement to acceptable pleas on appropriate cases with Associate Prosecutors.

To explain decisions to judges, magistrates, defence advocates and solicitors, witnesses, the police and other appropriate agencies in a manner that is appropriate for the recipient. To work effectively as part of a multi-skilled team and provide support to associate prosecutors, legal trainees and other crown prosecutors in case preparation and generally. You will need to consider the needs of others, particularly victims and witnesses in drawing up casework plans.

To make judgements on the most effective manner in which to prosecute cases, to be able to judge appropriately how to deal with vulnerable witnesses in accordance with CPS policies and acknowledged best practice, and how to respond effectively and assertively to defence representations.

To make decisions relating to applications for bail and whether to oppose them, whether to accept a plea to a lesser or different charge, when to change a previously prepared course of action including the withdrawal of a charge or the offering of no evidence when circumstances have changed or the original decision was plainly wrong, when to discontinue proceedings and whether to apply for compensation.

In the Crown Court, you would be required to draft applications to enable efficient case progression. For non-straightforward cases, this will be in consultation with the duty / reviewing lawyer.

Each CPS area has a Crown Court and magistrates' court team. As a Crown Advocate coming into the CPS through Go Prosecute, you're expected to be able to work with the Crown and magistrates' courts teams, although we do take into account your experience and, where possible, your personal preference before placing you in a team.