Solicitor General celebrates outstanding prosecutors across Whitehall

The Solicitor General, Ellie Reeves KC MP has announced the winners of the Prosecutor and Prosecuting Team of the Year Awards 2025: 

• Caroline Deacon, Senior Crown Prosecutor for the CPS, has been awarded Criminal Justice Agencies (CJA) Prosecutor of the Year; 
• Gillian Milton, Criminal Lawyer for The Insolvency Service has been awarded non-CJA Prosecutor of the Year.

The two teams that have been recognised for their outstanding work are:

• Operation Greenbank Prosecution Team has been awarded CJA Team of the Year; 
• The Bounce Back Loan Prosecutions Team has been awarded non-CJA Team of the Year.

All the winners were presented their awards at an event on Tuesday 14 July at TLT LLP Offices, alongside many of the other nominees and legal colleagues from across government in attendance.

The Solicitor General, Ellie Reeves KC MP said: 

Prosecutors perform a vital role in delivering justice and maintaining public confidence in our legal system, and these awards recognise the very best of that work. 

The winners have demonstrated exceptional skill, dedication, and innovation. From securing landmark convictions, tackling fraud and ensuring victims get justice, their work protects the public and ensures that those who cause harm are held to account. 

I would like to congratulate all the nominees for their outstanding contributions. Their commitment to prosecuting excellence is something the whole of government should be proud of.” 

The awards were open to prosecutors and teams who are part of the Whitehall Prosecutors Group or are signatories to the Prosecutors Convention.  

Prosecutors were asked to focus on work that demonstrated early identification, innovation, efficiency, best practices, and which enhanced public confidence in public prosecuting. 

Caroline Deacon was awarded for her successful prosecution of one of the first cases under the Online Safety Act, navigating complex digital evidence and securing a guilty plea, sparing the victim a trial.  

Gillian Milton was awarded for her high-quality work tackling complex Covid-19 loan fraud, completing twelve prosecutions in 2025, all resulting in guilty pleas. 

The Operation Greenbank prosecution team were recognised for delivering a victim-centred approach throughout their work on a high-profile criminal case, securing guilty pleas and a sentence of life imprisonment with a minimum term of over 51 years. 

The Bounce Back Loan Prosecutions Team have been recognised for their work holding fraudsters to account for abusing public funds, achieving a conviction rate of nearly 97% across cases completed in 2025.

Stephen Parkinson, Director of Public Prosecutions at the Crown Prosecution Service said:  

I am delighted to see our prosecutors recognised for the impact their work has made – setting new precedents through landmark prosecutions, and delivering justice for victims and their families in some incredibly challenging and complex cases. 

The outstanding expertise, professionalism and dedication of this year’s winners make them all a credit to the legal profession. I wish them the warmest of congratulations on their success.” 

Jonathan Lupton, Director of Legal Services at the Insolvency Service, said: 

Winning both non-CJA awards is a tremendous achievement, reflecting the dedication and skill of everyone in our Bounce Back Loan Prosecution Team and wider Enforcement Group. 

Gillian’s record in particular is outstanding, having personally prosecuted almost 40% of all our sentenced Bounce Back Loan cases since 2023. 

Bounce Back Loans were a lifeline for legitimate businesses during the pandemic. Those who abused that support undermined the scheme and the public trust it depended on. Our team’s work ensures they are held to account, and the conviction rate we achieved in 2025 shows just how thorough and effective that work has been. 

We still have cases to prosecute and we will pursue them with the same professionalism and commitment that has earned us this recognition.