Simon B is right. I have my own significant memory of Sir Allen Green’s fall from grace and the reason therefor.
I recall I had met him on his visit to the CPS in Brum during his term of office. At that time I was an officer of the Birmingham Law Society and its Criminal Law Committee Chair and Brum’s then Chief Crown Prosecutor David Blundell had invited me to CPS H.Q. to meet him. I recall having - impishly- told him,”Director, it’s a pleasure to meet you. David here tells me I am to say that everything here is going swimmingly.” Everyone laughed, including the Director. (David and I had done much collaborative work together by that time and had become friends. He DID speak to me afterwards,and we remained friends). By all accounts Sir Allen had been doing well and by 1992 word was out that he had been about to announce the prosecution of a number of West Midlands Serious Crime Squad officers.
That year I was down to become the second Chair of the Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association, with its AGM to be held in York. Prominent speakers had been arranged, to include (you’ve guessed it) Sir Allen.
Two days (?) before that AGM after having attended a function had been the time of the contrivance Joshua has so picaresquely identified- and so on my arrival at the venue on the eve of my memorable day had on being interviewed by a gentleman of the press been constrained to reply “No comment” concerning the REASON for Sir A’s absence.
I make it plain that his imminent announcement concerning the Squad and his sudden and as I imagine reluctant resignation may have been altogether coincidental.
His successor Dame Barbara’s term was, perhaps, viewed rather more tepidly.
Jack Straw as Home Secretary was receptive to overtures from those in the police service and elsewhere wishing him to have him dismantle the CPS and return to the VERY murky instructing by the police of often non- independent solicitors in private practice. Much consternation about that led to wiser counsel prevailing and to the appointment of Mr. Justice Glidewell, whose eponymous report -bluntly- rescued the CPS which from 1998 had a new and excellent appointee as DPP in Sir David (Mr. Justice) Calvert -Smith as he later became as indeed later still he became the senior judge of the Parole Board.
Lord Macdonald as I believe -sort of- followed through satisfactorily and then we have as he later became Sir Keir where overall he acquitted himself well and showed his independent and assertive side in no doubt always civilly navigated confrontations with then Home Secretary Theresa May.
I skip over Dame Alison and Sir Max where I have nothing anecdotal to offer.
CPS goes back to the future
Simon B is right. I have my own significant memory of Sir Allen Green’s fall from grace and the reason therefor.
I recall I had met him on his visit to the CPS in Brum during his term of office. At that time I was an officer of the Birmingham Law Society and its Criminal Law Committee Chair and Brum’s then Chief Crown Prosecutor David Blundell had invited me to CPS H.Q. to meet him. I recall having - impishly- told him,”Director, it’s a pleasure to meet you. David here tells me I am to say that everything here is going swimmingly.” Everyone laughed, including the Director. (David and I had done much collaborative work together by that time and had become friends. He DID speak to me afterwards,and we remained friends). By all accounts Sir Allen had been doing well and by 1992 word was out that he had been about to announce the prosecution of a number of West Midlands Serious Crime Squad officers.
That year I was down to become the second Chair of the Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association, with its AGM to be held in York. Prominent speakers had been arranged, to include (you’ve guessed it) Sir Allen.
Two days (?) before that AGM after having attended a function had been the time of the contrivance Joshua has so picaresquely identified- and so on my arrival at the venue on the eve of my memorable day had on being interviewed by a gentleman of the press been constrained to reply “No comment” concerning the REASON for Sir A’s absence.
I make it plain that his imminent announcement concerning the Squad and his sudden and as I imagine reluctant resignation may have been altogether coincidental.
His successor Dame Barbara’s term was, perhaps, viewed rather more tepidly.
Jack Straw as Home Secretary was receptive to overtures from those in the police service and elsewhere wishing him to have him dismantle the CPS and return to the VERY murky instructing by the police of often non- independent solicitors in private practice. Much consternation about that led to wiser counsel prevailing and to the appointment of Mr. Justice Glidewell, whose eponymous report -bluntly- rescued the CPS which from 1998 had a new and excellent appointee as DPP in Sir David (Mr. Justice) Calvert -Smith as he later became as indeed later still he became the senior judge of the Parole Board.
Lord Macdonald as I believe -sort of- followed through satisfactorily and then we have as he later became Sir Keir where overall he acquitted himself well and showed his independent and assertive side in no doubt always civilly navigated confrontations with then Home Secretary Theresa May.
I skip over Dame Alison and Sir Max where I have nothing anecdotal to offer.
The new appointment appears a sound one indeed.
Contrived to procure his own resignation...
One for my collection of euphemisms!!