Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 5
5
Paragraph: 65
We recommend that HMCTS establish a central register of all private prosecutions in England and...
Recommendation
We recommend that HMCTS establish a central register of all private prosecutions in England and Wales.
Paragraph Reference:
65
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
We agree with the Committee that the scarcity of information about private prosecutions is unsatisfactory, and that a central register would go some way towards putting this right. The establishment of such a register is in hand and will be completed by the end of this year. It will include the names of the prosecutor and defendant, the offence in question, and whether the summons application was granted. The register will provide useful information about the number of private prosecutions, by whom they are brought, and with what success. Where the person applying for a summons has a history of making unsuccessful applications, it will alert the court to the fact; this would assist the court although the application would still have to be determined on its merits.