The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced that its CEO, Rebecca Lawrence, is leaving her position following an age and sex discrimination lawsuit against the CPS. A statement from the CPS, released on Friday, confirmed this development. The announcement comes swiftly after the completion of the lawsuit, which was settled on Thursday night. Lawrence’s tenure as CEO of the CPS began in June 2019 when her appointment was officially announced.
Lawrence has also made it clear that she will remain involved with the CPS, assisting the new Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and CEO through the transitional process. In response to her departure, Lawrence stated, “This is a natural transition point for the CPS and it has been a privilege to lead this important organization. I have been inspired every day by the committed and purposeful colleagues at every level who are driven by the cause of justice to give service at what is often the darkest of times for the people we support.”
No official comments have been made by the CPS regarding the lawsuit, as reported by the Law Society Gazette. The news outlet stated that Lawrence filed her case before an employment tribunal on Thursday, making claims of discrimination against the CPS based on age and sex. The tribunal was slated to review the evidence and arguments for five days starting from Friday. However, an agreement was reached between CPS and Lawrence, after which she resigned from her role.
In other recent news concerning the CPS, they reported in November that Conservative MP Bob Stewart was found guilty of racially abusing a Bahraini activist. The incident happened outside an event hosted by the Government of Bahrain in December 2022.