‘A serious failure’: CPS prosecutor cites imaginary case to high court after AI search
Summary
A senior Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor cited a nonexistent court case while arguing that an 11-year-old boy should face prosecution. The High Court said the error did not affect its decision on the boy’s challenge, and the CPS said its policy requires human checks on research accuracy.Key Facts
- Ravinder Dhillon cited a case listed as CPS – R v J [2024] EWCA Crim 3529, which does not exist.
- The boy’s lawyers were challenging the CPS decision to prosecute him over the alleged rape of his seven-year-old sister.
- In October, Dhillon said the citation was an error and that she had meant to refer to a real decision from 15 years earlier.
- Two senior High Court judges called Dhillon’s explanation unsatisfactory, according to the article.
- The High Court said the fictitious citation did not affect the outcome of the challenge; the case is due to go to trial in youth court.
- The Guardian reported that the reference came from an AI response generated during an internet search.
- The CPS said its AI policy bars AI from making legal decisions and requires people to check accuracy; it said the error arose during internet legal research.
- The CPS acknowledged a separate case in February in which a lawyer cited nonexistent legal authorities in an extradition matter.
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