Crime Scene Attendance – Master the protocols for securing and examining major crime scenes.
Investigative File Completion – Learn how to compile accurate, detailed case files that stand up in court utilising the Manual of Guidance (MG) forms.
Specialist Investigation Roles – Explore the responsibilities of key roles in complex investigations.
Policy file – Commence a policy file in accordance with the NPCC guidelines in the role of a Senior Investigating Officer.
Advanced Interviewing Techniques – Develop strategies for interviewing suspects, witnesses, and victims effectively in serious crime using the PEACE model.
Charging and CPS Liaison – Understand the charging process and how to work with the Crown Prosecution Service.
Section 8 Warrants – Learn the legal framework and practical application of search warrants, their application and execution.
Expert Witness Engagement – Discover how forensic and medical experts, including blood pattern analysts, contribute to cases.
Giving Evidence in Court – Gain confidence in presenting evidence and delivering testimony under scrutiny.

On this module you will attend a simulated crime scene and act as the ‘first officer attending’ using current police technology and techniques. You will gather and analyse evidence including obtaining a warrant, briefing an operational team, executing a warrant, interviewing the suspect and then completing a court file. The module culminates in your investigation being tested in a mock trial.

1. Preparation of an abbreviated Court file – Students will complete the required Manual of Guidance (MG) forms for an abbreviated file.
2. Moot Court Oral Examination – The case file and evidential content will be examined in a court room environment through providing evidence in chief and under cross examination.
3. Decision-Making Policy File – Students will complete a number of entries rationalising their decision-making during the investigative process utilising knowledge of law, investigative protocol and evidenced-based approach.

Sessions will include lectures, workshop activities, discussions, groupwork, drop-in support sessions which will be delivered by various lecturers over the course of the module.

Lectures will be led by the lecturer (and guest speaker where possible) and will be used to deliver key concepts and learning within the module content. During these sessions, there will be interactive elements such as knowledge checks, short discussions, students asked for their thoughts or viewpoint and opportunities to ask questions to the lecturer.

Tutorial sessions will be based around supporting the completing of the case file to aide students’ learning on the module.

You will be given the opportunity to submit some of your case file forms for feedback ahead of the summative assessment deadline. There will be a session in the module where you can practice giving evidence in court ahead of the assessment court appearance to support a confident presentation in the witness box.

1. Apply physical and digital evidence-gathering techniques in complex real-life criminal investigation scenarios.

Application & problem-solving; Digital literacy

2. Critically examine evidence gathered and the roles involved during an investigation into a serious crime.

Critical reasoning & collaboration

3. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the role of other agencies in investigating and prosecuting criminal cases.

Knowledge & understanding

4. Prepare and present written and oral evidence before a criminal court in an efficient and effective manner.

Communication

- Interview rooms
- Simulation suite (bedsits)
- Immersive suite (blood pattern analysis in a crime scene)
- Mock Crown Court Room

College of Policing (2025) APP guidance on Investigations (online) Available at: https://www.college.police.uk/app/investigation

College of Policing (2025) APP guidance on prosecution and case management. Available at: https://www.college.police.uk/app/prosecution-and-case-management

Cook, T. (2023) Blackstone’s Senior Investigating Officers’ Handbook. Sixth edition. Oxford University Press.

NPCC (2021). Major Crime Investigation Manual (MCIM 2021). [online] Available at: https://library.college.police.uk/docs/NPCC/Major-Crime-Investigation-Manual-Nov-2021.pdf

Take your investigative skills to the next level with this comprehensive module designed for aspiring professionals in criminal justice and the wider investigative community. Case File to Court immerses you in the full investigative process, preparing you for real-world challenges from the moment a crime occurs to the final courtroom testimony. Making the most of our state of the art simulation facility, you’ll feel like you’re at a crime scene in somebody’s flat and giving evidence in a real court room. This hands-on, practice-driven course bridges theory and application, equipping you with the skills to manage investigations from start to finish. Whether you aim to work in policing, forensic science, or legal support roles, this module provides the knowledge and confidence to succeed.