Private prosecutions are allowed in many jurisdictions under common law, but have become less frequent in modern times as most prosecutions are now handled by professional public prosecutors instead of private individuals who retain (or are themselves) barristers.

Is a prosecutor public or private?

Prosecutors are public or private. The public prosecutor is an officer appointed by the government, to prosecute all offences; he is the attorney general or his deputy. A private prosecutor is one who prefers an accusation against a party whom be suspects to be guilty.

Can anyone bring a private prosecution?

The right to bring private prosecutions is preserved by section 6(1) of the Prosecution of Offences Act (POA) 1985. There are, however, some limitations: ... in some cases, the private prosecutor must seek the consent of the Attorney General or of the DPP before the commencement of proceedings.