Terror watchdog to take over as head of troubled Crown Prosecution Service

Terrorism watchdog Max Hill QC has pledged to "restore public trust in the Crown Prosecution Service" after being announced as the new Director of Public Prosecutions.

Mr Hill will replace Alison Saunders in the senior legal role from November, after months in which the CPS has been heavily criticised for a catalogue of disclosure failings that led to cases collapsing and warnings about miscarriages of justice.

Mr Hill, who has been the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation since March 2017, was announced in the new role by Attorney General Geoffrey Cox on Tuesday.

Mr Hill said he was "honoured" to be taking over from Ms Saunders, adding: "This is a challenging time for the CPS, with the rise in complex cases and negative publicity about its handling of disclosure in some cases.

"I have seen first-hand the sterling work of the CPS and I am determined to restore public trust in all of its work."

The independent reviewer scrutinises the operation of the UK's laws on terrorism and produces reports. It is a part-time role.

Mr Hill is a high-ranking barrister who successfully prosecuted the failed 21/7 bombers, and appeared in the inquest into the 7/7 attacks, as well as acting in fraud, corporate crime and serious violence cases.

Confidence in the criminal justice system was rocked last year after a flurry of cases collapsed when it emerged that vital evidence had not been passed to defence lawyers.

The collapsed rape trial of Liam Allan raised the profile of a string of similar sex cases, where charges were dropped when critical material emerged at the last minute.

The revelations prompted a review of every live rape and serious sexual assault prosecution in England and Wales, which found issues with the disclosure of unused material in 47 cases.

Last week MPs criticised Ms Saunders over long-term failings that saw vital evidence withheld from defence lawyers in rape and serious sexual assault cases.

The Justice Committee said "insufficient focus and leadership" led to problems going unresolved and that the DPP "did not sufficiently recognise the extent and seriousness" of failures within the disclosure process.

A report published on Friday also concluded the CPS may have underestimated the number of cases stopped because of disclosure errors by 90%.

Mr Cox said: "Mr Hill is a distinguished and extremely experienced Queen's Counsel who has demonstrated a profound commitment both to the criminal justice system and to public service. I am very grateful to him for taking on these onerous responsibilities.

"I am confident that he will be a good and collaborative leader of the Crown Prosecution Service and a principled and strongly independent chief prosecutor. The public will rightly expect nothing less.

"He will now build on the achievements of Alison Saunders, to whom I am grateful for her 32 years of public service.

"The role of DPP is difficult and requires exceptional qualities of judgment and character. I am looking forward to working with the new director."