Nazir Afzal
Author and criminal justice campaigner
‘The Prosecutor’ argues for criminal justice reform, including the way courts engage with the media
Nazir Afzal is a writer, legal reform campaigner and former chief crown prosecutor. He spent 25 years at the CPS and is best known for prosecuting landmark cases including the Rochdale grooming gang, Stuart Hall and the death of ‘Baby P’, which he recalls in his recently published memoir ‘The Prosecutor‘. A lay member of the ipso’s complaints committee, he also advises governments on preventing violence against vulnerable women, especially those from a BAME background. In this in-depth interview, Nazir reveals how his upbringing in inner-city Birmingham inspired him to pursue a career in law, shares his ideas for reforming the criminal justice system and tackling its institutional racism, and argues that the courts can build public confidence through better engagement with the media.