Under section 364 of the Armed Forces Act 2006, the Director of Service Prosecutions is appointed by Her Majesty the Queen. The term of the current incumbent, Andrew Cayley QC, comes to an end on 2 November 2020.
I can inform the House that Her Majesty has appointed Jonathan Rees QC to succeed Mr Cayley as the next independent Director of Service Prosecutions. Mr Rees has practised from chambers at 2 Hare Court since 2015, prosecuting and defending serious criminal allegations of murder, terrorism, sexual abuse and corruption.
I should also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Mr Cayley who has served as director for the last seven years and worked hard with other service justice system stakeholders to improve the processes by which cases are built and brought to trial, while maintaining the necessary independence of prosecutorial decision-making. His efforts have ensured that the authority has retained its position as an independent and respected prosecuting body which has underpinned the operational effectiveness of the armed forces.
As he hands over his responsibilities to Mr Rees, I would like to express my personal gratitude for the important contribution he has made.
[HCWS546]