An investigation was conducted after allegations that Nazir Afzal, OBE, one of Britain’s highest-profile prosecutors, sent a text message to a defendant in a Manchester court case. He has resigned but the CPS insist his decision to go has nothing to do with the unfounded allegation.
The resignation will be effective from the end of March.
The region’s top prosecutor has been in the spotlight for his high-profile comments on child sexual exploitation and grooming.
Mr Nazir, pictured, took up his post in 2011. His staff received an email earlier this week saying it had always been his intention to step down in 2015. In the four-line email, Mr Afzal said there was ‘no secret reason’ why he was leaving after 25 years with the CPS.
He was also a guest speaker at a function at The Palace Hotel last week where he announced he was leaving and was responsible for all criminal prosecutions across Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Cumbria.
Nazir has pioneered work to tackle honour-based violence and forced marriage, initially bringing this issue to the top of the public agenda through a CPS conference in 2004. He has the national CPS lead on tackling these crimes and on tackling Violence Against Women (domestic violence, rape and other violent offences in which women are predominantly the victims).
