The terror law watchdog and former criminal Bar chief Max Hill QC will take up the reins at the scandal-hit Crown Prosecution Service, following the departure of Alison Saunders.

He pledged to ‘restore public trust in the Crown Prosecution Service’ after widespread disclosure failings, which caused trials to collapse and led to the imprisonment of innocent people, were revealed.

Saunders, who has been in post for five years, will stand down on 31 October and take up a job at City law firm Linklaters.

Hill will stand down as the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, a job he has done since March 2017, and leave his position as head of London’s Red Lion Chambers, to undertake the £204,000-a-year role.

He has prosecuted in many high-profile cases, including the murder of 10-year-old Damilola Taylor and the 2005 London bombings, and has acted for the defence in substantial fraud cases.

Hill said: ‘I am honoured to be the next Director of Public Prosecutions. I am grateful to Alison Saunders for her service and look forward to building on her legacy.

‘This is a challenging time for the CPS, with the rise in complex cases and negative publicity about its handling of disclosure in some cases. I have seen first-hand the sterling work of the CPS and I am determined to restore public trust in all of its work.’