CPS Faces Solicitor Racism Allegations

Tue, 23 Feb 2010

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is facing allegations of racism after it was claimed that senior black lawyers and solicitors have been segregated from their white and Asian colleagues. The allegations were unveiled by The Independent, and many of the claims focus on a CPS office on south east London. The CPS confirmed that it is presently defending eight cases of racism brought against it by its staff, while it is also seeking to overturn a successful racism claim from two years ago – a case on which the CPS has spent £555,000 in legal costs on law firms and barristers .

The new controversy surrounds claims that the CPS had a policy of excluding some black prosecutors from taking charging decisions in criminal cases in 2007. One of the black prosecutors who has made a claim, 30 year old Tyica Riley, also claims to have been pressured to drop an allegation of criminal damage made against the police by one of Stephen Lawrence’s closest friends after his car was vandalised.

Another prosecutor, 50 year old Aniere Ebuzoeme, spoke of the ‘us and them culture based on racial dynamics’ that existed between various members of the CPS solicitor and lawyer teams. The allegations have reignited suggestions that the CPS has failed to tackle the issue of racism adequately.
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