Clifford Chance
Deferred prosecution agreements pass into law in the UK
10 May 2013
The Crime and Courts Act 2013 (the Act) received Royal Assent on 25 April 2013. When they come into force, its provisions will make significant changes to the way crime involving corporates and senior executives is dealt with in the UK.
These include changes to the law governing extradition and the establishment of the National Crime Agency, which will take over the functions of the Serious Organised Crime Agency.
However, the most important development is the long awaited introduction of deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) in the UK. For the first time, corporate organisations will be able to settle allegations of criminal activity without being prosecuted.
