A veteran lawyer with a “stellar” career has been appointed to lead the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Stephen Parkinson said he was “delighted and honoured” to take on the role of Director of Public Prosecutions.

He was previously the senior partner at law firm Kingsley Napley and has extensive experience both as a government lawyer and as the head of the CPS’s international co-operation unit in the early 1990s.

The appointment was made by Attorney General Victoria Prentis, who said he “brings a unique combination of legal expertise and public service at the highest levels” to the role.

“Stephen has had a stellar legal career both in and outside of government as well as experience of both prosecuting and defending,” she said.

“Combining this with his extensive track record of leadership, I have every confidence he will be a collaborative director and a principled and independent chief prosecutor.

“The public will rightly expect nothing less.”

Mr Parkinson will take up the appointment from November 1 for an initial term of five years.

He said: “I am delighted and honoured to be appointed as the next Director of Public Prosecutions.

“Both as a prosecutor and defender I have always strongly believed in the importance of the CPS in bringing to justice and prosecuting fairly those accused of crime.”

He said he looked forward to building on the legacy of predecessor Max Hill, who is standing down in October at the end of a five-year term.