What happens if there is more than one defendant and some pleas are likely to be guilty and some offences denied?
A. The case must be referred to a CPS lawyer for a charging decision who may decide that the prosecution can be better case-managed by all charges being included in a file built under paragraph 19 of the guidance. Where all offences may be charged by the police irrespective of plea, and some are admitted and others denied and there is more than one defendant, the case should also be referred to the CPS lawyer in like manner since the issues at court and the management of the case, with acceptance of some pleas and rejection of others, can become extremely complex.
