PRESS RELEASE : North East Prosecutors lead the way with complex casework [July 2023]
The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 27 July 2023.
Prosecutors from the North East have been showcasing their expertise securing convictions in complex cases as the Attorney General discovered on a recent visit.
Attorney General Victoria Prentis KC MP met staff at the headquarters of CPS North East where she heard how prosecutors had successfully overseen the conviction of taxi driver Salih Kilickap.
After a six-year battle for justice, Kilickap was finally found guilty in May of raping a female passenger whom he had taken back to his home in May 2017.
The case was made more complicated as after he was arrested, Kilickap fled to Germany where he held dual citizenship.
Prosecutors worked closely with international partners before Kilickap was detained in Bulgaria in October last year and returned to the UK to finally face justice.
Victoria Prentis KC MP said:
It was extraordinary to hear about the lengthy legal process faced by prosecutors to secure justice for this despicable attack on a woman simply trying to return home. The CPS made clear they were determined to chase down justice for the victim, and this long-awaited outcome speaks to their commitment.
The Attorney General also heard about Operation Strand, which focused on the investigation into the murder of 7-year-old Nikki Allan in October 1992.
