Latest news with #Victim'sRighttoReview
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ex-Reform MP Lowe will not face charges over alleged threats
Rupert Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth, will not face criminal charges in relation to an allegation of threats, the Crown Prosecution Service has said. Lowe was elected as a Reform UK MP in last year's general election but was suspended by the party in March, amid claims of threats towards the party's chairman. Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS, said it made the decision not to press charges "following a thorough and detailed review of the evidence". "Having considered a number of witness statements, we have concluded that there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction," he said. In a statement on X, Lowe said the Metropolitan Police were dropping their investigation into "false allegations" and accused Reform of carrying out a "brutal smear campaign". "For the sin of asking legitimate questions about the party's direction, policies and leadership, I was vilified and targeted," he said. Lowe, who now sits as an independent MP, also fiercely attacked his former party's leader Nigel Farage, calling him a "a coward and a viper". Although the CPS statement does not name Lowe, the case relates to an incident at the Palace of Westminster in December 2024. Mr McHaffie said: "The Crown Prosecution Service's function is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent, and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for a criminal court to consider. "Based on the careful consideration of this evidence, we have decided that our legal test for a criminal prosecution has not been met. "The decision is also subject to the Victim's Right to Review (VRR) scheme which provides a victim or their families in some classes of case with a specifically designed process to exercise the right to review certain CPS decisions not to start a prosecution or to stop a prosecution."
ITV News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
No criminal charges to be brought against former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe, says CPS
No criminal charges will be brought against former Reform MP Rupert Lowe after he was accused of making verbal threats, said the Crown Prosecution Service. The CPS said there was not enough evidence to bring charges against 'a sitting MP' over an alleged incident at the Palace of Westminster in December. In response, Mr Lowe accused the party of trying to 'weaponise the criminal justice system against me'. Malcolm McHaffie, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's Special Crime Division, said: 'Following a thorough and detailed review of the evidence in relation to an allegation of threats, we have decided that no criminal charges should be brought against a sitting MP. 'Having considered a number of witness statements, we have concluded that there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction. 'The Crown Prosecution Service's function is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent, and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for a criminal court to consider. Based on the careful consideration of this evidence, we have decided that our legal test for a criminal prosecution has not been met.' The Crown Prosecution Service added that the case was subject to the Victim's Right to Review scheme which allows alleged victims to ask for the decision not to prosecute to be reviewed. Mr Lowe was suspended from Nigel Farage's party earlier this year amid a deepening civil war and allegations about his conduct, which he denies. He said he had instructed solicitors to begin defamation action over the claims.
Daily Mirror
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe to face no criminal charges over 'verbal threat' claims
Prosecutors have decided no criminal charges will be brought against ex-Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe over allegations of "verbal threats". The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it had conducted a detailed review - but found there is "insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction". Nigel Farage's party reported the Great Yarmouth MP to the Metropolitan Police in March over alleged threats of physical violence against Reform chairman Zia Yusuf. He was suspended from the right-wing party in March amid a deepening civil war and allegations about his conduct, which he strongly denies. But on Wednesday the head of the CPS's special crime division, Malcolm McHaffie, said: 'Following a thorough and detailed review of the evidence in relation to an allegation of threats, we have decided that no criminal charges should be brought against a sitting MP. 'Having considered a number of witness statements, we have concluded that there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction." Follow our Mirror Politics account on Bluesky here. And follow our Mirror Politics team here - Lizzy Buchan, Mikey Smith, Kevin Maguire, Sophie Huskisson, Dave Burke and Ashley Cowburn. Be first to get the biggest bombshells and breaking news by joining our Politics WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you want to leave our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Or sign up here to the Mirror's Politics newsletter for all the best exclusives and opinions straight to your inbox. And listen to our exciting new political podcast The Division Bell, hosted by the Mirror and the Express every Thursday. He added: 'The Crown Prosecution Service's function is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent, and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for a criminal court to consider. Based on the careful consideration of this evidence, we have decided that our legal test for a criminal prosecution has not been met.' "The decision is also subject to the Victim's Right to Review (VRR) scheme which provides a victim or their families in some classes of case with a specifically designed process to exercise the right to review certain CPS decisions not to start a prosecution or to stop a prosecution. Mr Lowe said in a statement: "The Metropolitan Police have today confirmed that they are dropping their investigation into the false allegations that I made threats against the Reform Party chairman. "This was not normal political infighting. It was a sinister attempt to weaponise the criminal justice system against me - putting not just my political future, but my liberty at risk. All because I dared to raise constructive criticisms of Nigel Farage, stood firm on deporting illegal migrants, and pushed for Reform to be run democratically - not as a vehicle to stroke one man's ego."
Channel 4
23-04-2025
- Channel 4
Police apologise and drop threat to prosecute grieving mother
A UK police force has apologised and withdrawn a threat to prosecute a grieving mother unless she deletes a damning review of the investigation into her daughter's death. Caroline Charters was warned that she faced possible criminal prosecution unless she destroyed all copies of the official review into Gloucestershire Constabulary's actions following her daughter Danielle Charters-Christie's sudden death in February 2021. Gloucestershire Constabulary – which originally commissioned the review and directly handed it to Ms Charters last year – said it had since identified 'a serious data breach' and was compelled to act. The force deployed officers to Ms Charters' home in Greater Manchester and sent multiple emails to demand its deletion, raising the prospect of 'legal enforcement action' under the Data Protection Act. The threat to prosecute the mother-of-four sparked outcry, with author JK Rowling declaring that she would fund any legal defence. If they prosecute this bereaved mother, I stand ready to fund her defence. — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 11, 2025 A government spokesperson issued a statement to remind police to 'treat bereaved families with compassion' and 'use their resources to pursue perpetrators'. Gloucestershire Constabulary has now dropped its threat to prosecute, telling Ms Charters in writing on Tuesday: 'Although you have declined to do so [delete the review] we have decided not to take this matter any further, at this time'. The force's assistant chief constable concluded the letter by saying: 'May I take this opportunity to apologise to you and your family for our oversight and the way our attempts to rectify it may have impacted you and your family'. Ms Charters told Channel 4 News that she believed the U-turn 'proved they were just trying to threaten and intimidate me into giving up'. She added: 'Never underestimate the lengths a mother will go to, to establish the truth. I will not be silenced. I will ensure the truth is known'. Gloucestershire Police has been approached for further comment. 'Never underestimate the lengths a mother will go to, to establish the truth. I will not be silenced. I will ensure the truth is known'. – Caroline Charters Channel 4 News reported the contents of the Victim's Right to Review last October, with serious questions raised about the quality of the investigation into Ms Charters-Christie's sudden death. The death was ruled as a suicide within 55 minutes of police arriving, with the review exposing a failure to forensically examine Ms Charters-Christie's body for signs of trauma nor the scene where she was found dead by her former partner. A decision to grant permission to the father of her former partner to transfer her body to a morgue, in his capacity as an undertaker, was also highlighted. The review found that the caravan that lived in had been 'disposed of' by the time of her former partner's arrest on suspicion of her murder in April 2022. He was later released without charge, with police citing a lack of evidence and unrealistic prospect of conviction. The individual, who Channel 4 News is not naming, has never responded to repeated requests for comment in response to Ms Charters-Christie's death. 'No one should have to go through that' Ms Charters' grave concerns about the handling of her daughter's case prompted Gloucestershire Constabulary to order the external review, conducted by a separate police force in Wiltshire Police. The review – detailing a litany of shortcomings – was directly handed to Ms Charters in June 2024, with Gloucestershire Constabulary promising 'openness and transparency'. Gloucestershire Constabulary's Assistant Chief Constable Arman Mathieson told Channel 4 News last October that the review demonstrated that 'evidential opportunities had not been taken'. He added: 'Caroline has had to campaign and challenge the organisation quite extensively and no one should have to go through that'. In February, four months after Channel 4 News' original reporting of Danielle Charters-Christie's death, Caroline Charters received a text message from a senior police officer requesting a face-to-face meeting to 'discuss/share some new information'. Ms Charters' hopes that this may be a significant development in her daughter's case were quickly dispelled when she was handed a letter demanding that she destroy all electronic and physical copies of the review. The force later said it would replace the 74-page document with a six-page 'outcome letter'. The letter stripped out all the detailed findings listed in the original review. On 10 April, Channel 4 News published the threat to prosecute Caroline Charters, with the mother-of-four saying she was 'appalled' by police actions towards her and her family. Responding to the case, Harriet Wistrich, director of the Centre for Women's Justice, told LBC : 'A mother should not have to fear prosecution. She should be able to speak about her concerns freely about what happened to her daughter and police failures to investigate.' Domestic Abuse Commissioner Nicole Jacobs said: 'Bereaved families rely on the police to provide answers and justice when the unimaginable happens – any contact with the police must be met with empathy, humility and respect, every single time.' A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We expect to see police using their resources to pursue perpetrators and protect victims from harm.' In the letter confirming its decision not to pursue Ms Charters, Gloucestershire Constabulary maintained that it 'made a mistake' in sharing the unredacted Victim's Right to Review because of the availability of 'sensitive third-party data.' The force said the Information Commissioner's Office was continuing to investigate the 'data breach' and requested that Ms Charters not share the review 'further than your immediate family'. On the decision to send police officers to her home to demand its deletion, the force's assistant chief constable Arman Mathieson told Ms Charters: 'I felt this was providing you the best possible service and I'm sorry for any distress you felt upon our attendance'.
