CPS in the spotlight as high-stakes prosecutions unfold; public agency prosecutes in England & Wales, led by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
On March 19, 2026, two men, Nematollah Shahsavani and Alireza Farasati, were charged in London under the UK's National Security Act for allegedly conducting hostile surveillance on Israeli and Jewish sites between July and August 2025. The suspects face accusations of spying on embassies, synagogues, and community centers on behalf of Iranian intelligence. Both remain in custody pending trial.
Authorities report a surge in antisemitic incidents in London, including stabbings, arson at Jewish sites and harassment videotaped for social media. Police have expanded protection with a new community protection team and heightened investigations into possible Iran-linked involvement.
Four members of Palestine Action have been convicted of criminal damage for the 2024 Elbit Systems raid in Bristol; one defendant is also convicted of grievous bodily harm. Sentencing is set for June 12 as courts review the proscription status and potential terror links.
A coalition warns that using AI facial age estimation to assess the age of unaccompanied asylum seekers could push children into adult detention or prisons. The Home Office has awarded a contract to Akhter Computers to test AI tools ahead of a 2027 rollout, while officials stress safeguards and advisory use.
Kenneth Law has pleaded guilty in Ontario to 14 counts of counselling or aiding suicide for Canadian victims and has admitted that substances he supplied caused the deaths of dozens in the UK; Canadian prosecutors will include British victims in his Canadian sentencing, and victims' families in the UK are calling for a public inquiry.
The Guardian, Independent report that David Stroud has become the first person convicted under a new UK harassment law targeting sex-based harassment on public transport and elsewhere. He has admitted to, and been convicted for, harassing a woman on a Hastings-to-London rail journey and for a separate stalking campaign. He receives a community order and other sanctions.