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<p>The South West regional area of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) covers three
police force areas: Avon & Somerset, Devon and Cornwall and Gloucestershire. The
Area is based in Bristol, Exeter and Truro following the closure of the Gloucester
office in April 2014. In 2013-14, prior to the closure of the Gloucester office, CPS
South West prosecuted 11,826 cases where the CPS had authorised charge. In 2018-19
they prosecuted 9,279. This reduction is consistent with the falling caseload for
the CPS nationally.</p><p>The CPS does not hold any records relating to the average
waiting time at court. However, data is available showing the average time (in calendar
days) from the date the decision to charge a suspect was made to the date the prosecution
case was finalised. In 2013-14 this was 140.3 days for CPS South West and 139.2 days
in 2018-19. For cases referred by Gloucestershire Police the average time taken between
decision to charge and finalised prosecution has dropped from 176.5 days in 2013-14
to 142.5 days in 2018-19.</p><p>The average timeliness of a prosecution case is measured
from the date charges are authorised by the CPS to finalisation. The average time
includes the period between the date the CPS authorise the charge, to the date the
suspect was charged by the police, to date of the first listed hearing and subsequent
finalisation of the defendant’s case. It is not possible to disaggregate the average
timeliness between these stages. The data includes cases which are completed in magistrates’
courts and, more serious and complex, cases which proceed to the Crown Court. The
precise time to charge a defendant is a matter for the police and similarly the time
to list a case in court is a matter for HM Courts and Tribunals Service. The length
of time cases take in court depends on the nature and complexity of the matters in
question and whether matters are admitted or contested by the defendant.</p>
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