This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/law/2013/sep/11/michael-le-vell-witch-hunt-prosecutor
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Michael Le Vell has not been part of witch-hunt, says prosecutor | Michael Le Vell has not been part of witch-hunt, says prosecutor |
| (7 days later) | |
| A top prosecutor has denied there has been a "celebrity witch-hunt" in the wake of the acquittal of the Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell on child sexual abuse charges. | A top prosecutor has denied there has been a "celebrity witch-hunt" in the wake of the acquittal of the Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell on child sexual abuse charges. |
| Nazir Afzal, the Crown Prosecution Service national lead on child sexual exploitation, said "nobody should be above the law" and it was the Crown's job to look at evidence, follow it wherever it may go and then present it. | Nazir Afzal, the Crown Prosecution Service national lead on child sexual exploitation, said "nobody should be above the law" and it was the Crown's job to look at evidence, follow it wherever it may go and then present it. |
| His remarks come after Le Vell – who plays the garage owner and mechanic Kevin Webster in the soap – said he was looking forward to a drink after being cleared of 12 child sex offences at Manchester crown court on Tuesday. | His remarks come after Le Vell – who plays the garage owner and mechanic Kevin Webster in the soap – said he was looking forward to a drink after being cleared of 12 child sex offences at Manchester crown court on Tuesday. |
| Le Vell's aunt and several former Coronation Street colleagues claimed he had been taken to court because of his celebrity status. | Le Vell's aunt and several former Coronation Street colleagues claimed he had been taken to court because of his celebrity status. |
| Afzal, who is also chief crown prosecutor for the north-west, made the initial decision not to charge Le Vell after he was first arrested in September 2011, but that was later overruled by Alison Levitt QC, the principal legal adviser to the director of public prosecutions (DPP) for England. | Afzal, who is also chief crown prosecutor for the north-west, made the initial decision not to charge Le Vell after he was first arrested in September 2011, but that was later overruled by Alison Levitt QC, the principal legal adviser to the director of public prosecutions (DPP) for England. |
| On Wednesday, Afzal stressed that each case was assessed on its own merits, regardless of whether a suspect had a high public profile. | On Wednesday, Afzal stressed that each case was assessed on its own merits, regardless of whether a suspect had a high public profile. |
| Speaking at a child sexual exploitation conference in Blackburn, Lancashire, he said: "I absolutely detest this word 'witch-hunt'. It is not a witch-hunt. | Speaking at a child sexual exploitation conference in Blackburn, Lancashire, he said: "I absolutely detest this word 'witch-hunt'. It is not a witch-hunt. |
| "We look at the evidence. We follow the evidence. We present the evidence." | "We look at the evidence. We follow the evidence. We present the evidence." |
| He said it was then a matter for the courts and juries to decide on what was put before them. "I am not shy about pursuing this type of cases and will continue to do so," he said. | He said it was then a matter for the courts and juries to decide on what was put before them. "I am not shy about pursuing this type of cases and will continue to do so," he said. |
| "The vast majority of child sex abusers are not your public figures … and they cannot be allowed to get away with it because of some discourse about 'this is some kind of campaign' that is following what happened with [Jimmy] Savile or Cyril Smith or whoever it may be." | "The vast majority of child sex abusers are not your public figures … and they cannot be allowed to get away with it because of some discourse about 'this is some kind of campaign' that is following what happened with [Jimmy] Savile or Cyril Smith or whoever it may be." |
| He said he himself had been spoken of as a "celeb hunter". | He said he himself had been spoken of as a "celeb hunter". |
| "I don't even know what a 'celeb hunter' is," he said. "Nobody should be above the law in this country." | "I don't even know what a 'celeb hunter' is," he said. "Nobody should be above the law in this country." |
| He said it "does not matter" if, when looking at evidence, "it takes us to someone who might have drawn attention to themselves publicly in some way, shape or form". | He said it "does not matter" if, when looking at evidence, "it takes us to someone who might have drawn attention to themselves publicly in some way, shape or form". |
| Afzal said: "Our resolve has to be: is the evidence there? Can we make this evidence stronger? If we can make it stronger, is it sufficient to have a realistic prospect of conviction? | Afzal said: "Our resolve has to be: is the evidence there? Can we make this evidence stronger? If we can make it stronger, is it sufficient to have a realistic prospect of conviction? |
| "Invariably, if it is child sexual abuse it will be in the public interest to prosecute it." | "Invariably, if it is child sexual abuse it will be in the public interest to prosecute it." |
| It is then the CPS's aim to present a "robust prosecution" and ensure a suspect's account is tested before a jury, he said. | It is then the CPS's aim to present a "robust prosecution" and ensure a suspect's account is tested before a jury, he said. |
| The mother of Le Vell's accuser made a formal complaint in February 2012 and asked for Afzal's decision to be reviewed. The girl then went on to make further allegations. | The mother of Le Vell's accuser made a formal complaint in February 2012 and asked for Afzal's decision to be reviewed. The girl then went on to make further allegations. |
| A CPS spokesman said: "A formal complaint was made in February 2012 asking for the decision to be reviewed, which led to a further detailed review of the evidence by Alison Levitt QC, the DPP's principal legal adviser. She concluded that there was sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and that the earlier decision not to prosecute should be overturned. | A CPS spokesman said: "A formal complaint was made in February 2012 asking for the decision to be reviewed, which led to a further detailed review of the evidence by Alison Levitt QC, the DPP's principal legal adviser. She concluded that there was sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and that the earlier decision not to prosecute should be overturned. |
| "In addition the victim made further allegations to the police in March 2012 which were investigated by the police. The principal legal adviser also reviewed this additional evidence and in February 2013 authorised that the defendant be charged. | "In addition the victim made further allegations to the police in March 2012 which were investigated by the police. The principal legal adviser also reviewed this additional evidence and in February 2013 authorised that the defendant be charged. |
| "All victims now have the right, if they are concerned about a decision not to charge, to ask for the case to be looked at again. This process enabled the CPS to re-review this case, to consider the evidence afresh including some further allegations by the victim, and to bring charges." | "All victims now have the right, if they are concerned about a decision not to charge, to ask for the case to be looked at again. This process enabled the CPS to re-review this case, to consider the evidence afresh including some further allegations by the victim, and to bring charges." |
| The CPS added that it concluded there was sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and, as they were "very serious" allegations of child sexual abuse, it followed that it was in the public interest to put the evidence before a jury. | The CPS added that it concluded there was sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and, as they were "very serious" allegations of child sexual abuse, it followed that it was in the public interest to put the evidence before a jury. |
| The jurors in Le Vell's trial took just under five hours to reach their verdicts. | The jurors in Le Vell's trial took just under five hours to reach their verdicts. |
| Le Vell did not appear in any episodes of the soap during the legal proceedings. | Le Vell did not appear in any episodes of the soap during the legal proceedings. |
| Commenting after the case, a spokeswoman for Coronation Street said: "We are looking forward to meeting with Michael to discuss his return to the programme." | Commenting after the case, a spokeswoman for Coronation Street said: "We are looking forward to meeting with Michael to discuss his return to the programme." |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |