CPS prosecutor resigns over 'predatory' comments on 13-year-old paedophile victim

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

A CPS prosecutor who described the 13-year-old victim of a paedophile “predatory” in court will no longer undertake prosecutions involving serious sexual offences or child sexual abuse.

Robert Colover has agreed to resign from the CPS Rape Panel of advocates, admitting his description of the girl as "predatory" and "sexually experienced" was inappropriate, the Crown Prosecution Service said today.

Mr Colover's comments during the sentencing of paedophile Neil Wilson, who was handed a suspended sentence, sparked outrage and today the CPS said that after a review of the case, director of public prosecutions Keir Starmer QC had found the language used to describe the teenager was "grossly inappropriate".

A spokesman said: "Counsel in the case agreed that he should not have used the expression that he did and deeply regretted his choice of words.

"It was agreed that he would resign from the CPS Rape Panel of advocates and will no longer undertake prosecutions involving serious sexual offences or child sexual abuse."

PA