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Criminal Defence Service (CDS)- Very high cost criminal cases
- The Complex Crime Unit (CCU)
The Complex Crime Unit (CCU)
On this page:
- About the Complex Crime Unit
- What is a Very High Cost Criminal Case?
- Notification of VHCCs
- The Contracting Process
- The Specialist Fraud Panel
- What you can find in the CCU section…
About the Complex Crime Unit
The Complex Crime Unit (CCU) of the Legal Services Commission is responsible for managing all crime Very High Cost Cases (VHCC) under CDS contract.
All VHCCs where the representation order was granted on or after 14 January 2008 are now to be conducted by firms and advocates who are members of the VHCC (Crime) Panel.
Cases where the representation order was granted prior to this will continue to be run under the previous VHCC contracting system where firms signed an individual case contract for the duration of that case only.
What is a Very High Cost Criminal Case?
A Very High Cost Criminal Case (VHCC Case) is defined as:
- a case in which a representation order has been granted
- and a case which, if it were to proceed to trial, would likely last more than 40 days.
In addition to this, cases where the trial would in the opinion of the Commission be likely to last between 25 and 40 days may also be defined as a VHCC, if they meet the following criteria:
- terrorism prosecutions; or
- SFO prosecutions; or
- Any two of:
- At least 10,000 pages of prosecution evidence
- At least 10,00 pages of unused or third party material
- More than five defendants
- Fraud or serious drugs cases where the value of the fraud or drugs exceeds £1 m
Notification of VHCCs
All defence teams (including those who are not Panel Members) must now notify the Complex Crime Unit of any case where the trial is likely to last for 25 days or more.
The defence team must submit a VHCC Notification Request Form as soon as it appears that the case is likely to be a VHCC and, in any event, within five working days of:
- the Plea and Case Management Hearing
- or the defence team having identified that the case will be or is likely to be a VHCC.
This obligation is set out in the VHCC Panel Members and VHCC Panel Advocates Contracts and in the CDS (VHCC) Regulations 2007.
The Contracting Process
- Once the case has been designated a VHCC, there is no opt-out for suppliers from the contracting system.
- All VHCCs will be conducted by Panel Members and Panel Advocates except in exceptional circumstances.
- For each VHCC, the defence team (solicitor and advocate) will be assigned a dedicated Contract Manager from the Complex Crime Unit.
- It is the Contract Manager’s role to negotiate with solicitors and advocates what work they will be conducting over the next three-month period.
- Payment is made at the end of each three-month period, as long as the work falls within the tasks and hours agreed in advance.
The Specialist Fraud Panel
This information relates to cases with representation orders prior to 14 January 08 only.
- The Specialist Fraud Panel (SFP) was established under the previous VHCC contracting system to control defence costs in Very High Cost Fraud Cases and to ensure that only those firms with the required experience and expertise in dealing with such cases have conduct in VHCC frauds under contract.
- The unit was responsible for assessing applications from solicitors firms who wished to be accepted onto the SFP.
- Under the new VHCC Panel, all members may conduct any fraud VHCC.
What you can find in the CCU section…
Information on membership of the VHCC (Crime) Panel and the membership contract.
Details on how to notify the CCU when your case meets VHCC criteria.
Information on how to appeal a decision made by the CCU.
Details on the Specialist Fraud Panel and administration of complex fraud cases.
Last updated: 24 April 2009