THE Crown Prosecution Service has welcomed Douglas Verity 'Dickie' Dickenson to the role of Lancashire's director of public prosecutions.

Mr Dickenson will take responsibility for the prosecution of cases in the county's Magistrates' and Crown courts.

He said: "My aim is to place a priority on the prosecution of cases, which come to us after the police have investigated crime.

"If the evidence will stand up in court, and if the public interest requires a prosecution, we will pursue the case vigorously, but fairly.

Some of the decisions my colleagues and I will make may not always be popular; we have to take difficult decisions based on the law.

"We promise to strive for objectivity, independence and consistency, which are essential to help courts to resolve cases fairly."

Lancashire's CPS has four offices situated at Preston, Blackpool, Burnley and Lancaster, which employ around 180 members of staff.

They have the responsibility for the prosecution of criminal offences at the county's three Crown Court centres and 11 Magistrates' Courts.

Mr Dickenson, based at the Unicentre in Preston, added: "We are fully behind the government's aim to reduce crime and the fear of crime - a goal which is shared by our partners in the criminal justice system in Lancashire.

"I look forward to working with them to achieve a more satisfactory outcome for victims and witnesses and for the local community as a whole."

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