Keir Starmer To Step Down As CPS Boss

The Director of Public Prosecutions is to step down from the role at the end of his five-year term of office in October.

Keir Starmer, who could have extended the term as Britain's most senior prosecutor, said it had been "a huge privilege" to work as leader of the Crown Prosecution Service.

He said: "It has been a huge privilege to have led the CPS for the past four and half years. I have enjoyed my time very much and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on the important work of the CPS until my term of office ends."

Attorney General Dominic Grieve praised Mr Starmer for bringing "humanity" to the role.

He said: "It has been a privilege and a pleasure to work with Keir. Not just a formidable lawyer, he has brought sound instinct and humanity to his role, noticeably in the guidelines he has published.

"He has led the CPS through a difficult time and leaves it as a more professional and more effective service than he found it. The CPS is now, more than ever, a key partner in the criminal justice system. In my view he has been one of the most successful directors of recent years."

With responsibility for all prosecution decisions across England and Wales, Mr Starmer has overseen a number of high profile cases in recent years.

Earlier this year he apologised for the failure to prosecute Jimmy Savile over abuse allegations while he was alive and vowed to bring more sex offenders to justice.

In 2010, he announced the controversial decision not to prosecute PC Simon Harwood over the death of newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson during the G20 protests in London in April 2009. A year later, the DPP said the police officer would face a manslaughter charge after more evidence came out at an inquest into the death.

Also in 2011, Mr Starmer admitted that the ordeal of Milly Dowler's family during the trial of her killer had raised "fundamental questions" about the court process.

Other major cases to emerge on his watch include Operations Weeting and Tuleta, the police investigations into alleged phone and computer hacking by journalists, and Operation Elveden, Scotland Yard's inquiry into alleged corrupt payments by journalists to public officials.

He was also involved in the right-to-die case of locked-in syndrome sufferer Tony Nicklinson, publishing new guidelines on assisted suicide.

Last year Mr Starmer issued new guidance on social media prosecutions following a huge increase in the number of cases relating to Twitter and Facebook that the CPS was having to deal with.

Before taking up the role at the CPS in November 2008, Mr Starmer was a prominent human rights lawyer.