UK prosecutor cites a case that doesn't exist after an AI search

A senior Crown Prosecution Service lawyer argued that a child should be prosecuted and cited a 2024 Court of Appeal case in support. The case does not exist. The Guardian understands the reference came from an AI summary shown during an internet search. In October 2026, the prosecutor admitted the error and said she meant a real decision from 15 years earlier. Two High Court judges called her explanation unsatisfactory but said it did not change the outcome of the boy's challenge. The CPS ran an internal review and told staff to cite case law only from trusted legal sources. It is the second known CPS case of nonexistent authorities.