Disclosure of Material to Third Parties
Plain-English digest of CPS prosecution guidance.
AI-generated summary — not verbatim. This is a plain-English digest, not the official CPS text. It may omit detail or fall out of date. Do not rely on it for a charging decision — read the full guidance on cps.gov.uk and check the current legislation.
This CPS prosecution guidance outlines the principles governing the disclosure of materials held in prosecution files to third parties. It covers the role of the CPS, procedures for post-conviction disclosure, and considerations regarding consent, relevance, and public interest immunity. The guidance emphasizes care in handling requests to protect individual rights and ensure proper legal procedure is followed in different contexts, such as civil and criminal proceedings.
Key points
- The CPS must ensure careful consideration when disclosing materials to protect individuals' rights.
- Requests for disclosure should adhere to the principles of necessity, consent, and relevance.
- Post-conviction disclosure follows different rules compared to materials requested during ongoing proceedings.
- Public interest immunity may limit what is disclosed when sensitive information is involved.
- Liaison between the CPS and police is crucial to determine who handles disclosure requests.
Public-interest factors
- Protecting the presumption of innocence
- Safeguarding the rights of the accused
- Preventing harm to witnesses
- Upholding legal professional privilege
- Maintaining the integrity of investigations
This is a factual digest of guidance published by the Crown Prosecution Service. Digested 2026-07-15. BlueLineHub is independent and not affiliated with the CPS.