By . Daily Mail Reporter . The Crown Prosecution Service has denied claims there is a 'celebrity witch hunt', after Coronation Street actor William Roache was cleared of abuse charges. Nazir Afzal, chief crown prosecutor for CPS North West - who announced the charges against both Mr Roache and his fellow street star Michael Le Vell  - told a child sexual exploitation conference that each case was assessed on its own merits. Mr Le Vell's aunt and several former Coronation Street colleagues claimed he had been taken to court just because of his celebrity status. Nazir Afzal, chief crown prosecutor for CPS North West,  announced the charges against both William Roache and fellow street star Michael Le Vell . He denied claims of a celebrity witch hunt . The actor had earlier been cleared by a jury at Manchester Crown Court last September of a string of allegations made by his accuser, who claimed she had been raped and abused when she was a young girl. Mr Afzal said that they had a 'duty' to consider the evidence in all such serious cases. He added: 'When serious allegations are made and the evidence in a case passes the prosecution test it is right that a jury considers the evidence. 'That is the way our legal system works, the prosecution decides that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction whereas the jury must decide the case is proved beyond all reasonable doubt. 'When a jury delivers a verdict, no matter what it is, that is justice being done. Michael Le Vell's aunt and several former Coronation Street colleagues claimed he had been taken to court just because of his celebrity status . 'We have a duty to those who make complaints of serious offences to listen to the allegations, and assess the evidence against the same evidential standards we use for all criminal cases, no matter who makes the complaint, or who the complaint is against. 'This case was treated like any other - what mattered were the allegations and the evidence and nothing else, and we fully respect the decisions of the jury and thank them for their careful deliberation.' Mr Afzal, who is also the national lead on child sexual exploitation for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'I absolutely detest this word 'witch hunt'. 'It is not a witch hunt. We look at the evidence. We follow the evidence. We present the evidence.' He said it was then a matter for the courts and juries to decide on what was put before them. 'I am not shy about pursuing these type of cases and will continue to do so,' he said. 'The vast majority of child sex abusers are not your public figures... and they cannot be allowed to get away with it because of some discourse about "This is some kind of campaign' that is following what happened with (Jimmy) Savile or Cyril Smith or whoever it may be.' He said he had been spoken of as a 'celeb hunter'. 'I don't even know what a "celeb hunter" is,' he said. 'Nobody should be above the law in this country.' He said it 'does not matter' if, when looking at evidence, 'it takes us to someone who might have drawn attention to themselves publicly in some way, shape or form'. Mr Afzal said: 'Our resolve has to be 'Is the evidence there? Can we make this evidence stronger?' 'If we can make it stronger, is it sufficient to have a realistic prospect of conviction? 'Invariably if it is child sexual abuse it will be in the public interest to prosecute it.' It is then the CPS's aim to present a 'robust prosecution' and ensure a suspect's account is tested before a jury, he said. The then director of public prosecutions, Keir Starmer, later told a Home Affairs Select Committee that it was the 'right decision' to pursue a prosecution of Mr Le Vell. Mr Afzal, who is also the national lead on child sexual exploitation for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'I absolutely detest this word 'witch hunt' Mr Roache, who plays the character of Ken Barlow in the soap opera Coronation Street, leaves with sons Linus (left), James (second left) and daughter Verity (right) after being cleared of all charges at Preston Crown Court . Mr Starmer said: 'A proper assessment was taken in the case and the decision to proceed was the right decision. 'There is a safeguard within our system and that is at the end of the prosecution's case in court, it is not only open to the judge it is the duty of the judge to stop the case if there's no case to answer. 'That did not happen in this case, and therefore there was a case to answer. 'That case was answered and the jury took some time to consider their verdict. 'So it was a properly brought case, it's not a case on which there was no evidence, had it been it would have been stopped half way after testing of the evidence.' He went on: 'It is true, the test for the prosecutor is a realistic prospect of conviction and the test for the jury is whether the case is proved beyond all reasonable doubt having heard all the witnesses. 'But the fact that a decision was taken to start a case and it doesn't end up in conviction does not mean it was improperly brought.'
Nazir Afzal announced charges against Roache and .
Michael Le Vell .
Told child sexual exploitation conference each case assessed on own merits .
It comes after some have accused the CPS of a celebrity witch hunt .
Roache cleared today of all charges against him at Preston Crown Court .
Le Vell also cleared of a string of rape allegations last year in Manchester .
By . Daily Mail Reporter . The Crown Prosecution Service has denied claims there is a 'celebrity witch hunt', after Coronation Street actor William Roache was cleared of abuse charges. Nazir Afzal, chief crown prosecutor for CPS North West - who announced the charges against both Mr Roache and his fellow street star Michael Le Vell  - told a child sexual exploitation conference that each case was assessed on its own merits. Mr Le Vell's aunt and several former Coronation Street colleagues claimed he had been taken to court just because of his celebrity status. Nazir Afzal, chief crown prosecutor for CPS North West,  announced the charges against both William Roache and fellow street star Michael Le Vell . He denied claims of a celebrity witch hunt . The actor had earlier been cleared by a jury at Manchester Crown Court last September of a string of allegations made by his accuser, who claimed she had been raped and abused when she was a young girl. Mr Afzal said that they had a 'duty' to consider the evidence in all such serious cases. He added: 'When serious allegations are made and the evidence in a case passes the prosecution test it is right that a jury considers the evidence. 'That is the way our legal system works, the prosecution decides that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction whereas the jury must decide the case is proved beyond all reasonable doubt. 'When a jury delivers a verdict, no matter what it is, that is justice being done. Michael Le Vell's aunt and several former Coronation Street colleagues claimed he had been taken to court just because of his celebrity status . 'We have a duty to those who make complaints of serious offences to listen to the allegations, and assess the evidence against the same evidential standards we use for all criminal cases, no matter who makes the complaint, or who the complaint is against. 'This case was treated like any other - what mattered were the allegations and the evidence and nothing else, and we fully respect the decisions of the jury and thank them for their careful deliberation.' Mr Afzal, who is also the national lead on child sexual exploitation for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'I absolutely detest this word 'witch hunt'. 'It is not a witch hunt. We look at the evidence. We follow the evidence. We present the evidence.' He said it was then a matter for the courts and juries to decide on what was put before them. 'I am not shy about pursuing these type of cases and will continue to do so,' he said. 'The vast majority of child sex abusers are not your public figures... and they cannot be allowed to get away with it because of some discourse about "This is some kind of campaign' that is following what happened with (Jimmy) Savile or Cyril Smith or whoever it may be.' He said he had been spoken of as a 'celeb hunter'. 'I don't even know what a "celeb hunter" is,' he said. 'Nobody should be above the law in this country.' He said it 'does not matter' if, when looking at evidence, 'it takes us to someone who might have drawn attention to themselves publicly in some way, shape or form'. Mr Afzal said: 'Our resolve has to be 'Is the evidence there? Can we make this evidence stronger?' 'If we can make it stronger, is it sufficient to have a realistic prospect of conviction? 'Invariably if it is child sexual abuse it will be in the public interest to prosecute it.' It is then the CPS's aim to present a 'robust prosecution' and ensure a suspect's account is tested before a jury, he said. The then director of public prosecutions, Keir Starmer, later told a Home Affairs Select Committee that it was the 'right decision' to pursue a prosecution of Mr Le Vell. Mr Afzal, who is also the national lead on child sexual exploitation for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'I absolutely detest this word 'witch hunt' Mr Roache, who plays the character of Ken Barlow in the soap opera Coronation Street, leaves with sons Linus (left), James (second left) and daughter Verity (right) after being cleared of all charges at Preston Crown Court . Mr Starmer said: 'A proper assessment was taken in the case and the decision to proceed was the right decision. 'There is a safeguard within our system and that is at the end of the prosecution's case in court, it is not only open to the judge it is the duty of the judge to stop the case if there's no case to answer. 'That did not happen in this case, and therefore there was a case to answer. 'That case was answered and the jury took some time to consider their verdict. 'So it was a properly brought case, it's not a case on which there was no evidence, had it been it would have been stopped half way after testing of the evidence.' He went on: 'It is true, the test for the prosecutor is a realistic prospect of conviction and the test for the jury is whether the case is proved beyond all reasonable doubt having heard all the witnesses. 'But the fact that a decision was taken to start a case and it doesn't end up in conviction does not mean it was improperly brought.'
witch hunt', after Coronation Street actor Nazir Afzal, chief crown prosecutor for CPS North Roache and his fellow street star Michael Le Vell  - told a child sexual exploitation conference that each case was assessed on its own CPS North West,  announced the charges against Michael Le Vell . He denied claims of a celebrity by a jury at Manchester Crown Court last September of a string of allegations made by his being cleared of all charges at Preston Crown