Infected blood inquiry: passage of time no bar to prosecutions, lawyers say

National Police Chiefs’ Council sets up team to examine report as lawyers confirm prosecutions are still possible

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A small team has started looking at the infected blood inquiry’s final report on behalf of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, as lawyers said the time that has passed since the alleged offences should not be a bar to prosecutions.

Sir Brian Langstaff did not address the issue of criminal liability in his report, as this lies outside the remit of public inquiries, but his findings of NHS and government culpability, as well as a cover-up, including shredding of documents, have amplified calls for prosecutions.