Alison Saunders has become the first former head of the Crown Prosecution Service not to receive a senior honour after her tenure was marked by a series of scandals.

The former Director of Public Prosecutions, who left her post earlier this year, has not been awarded a damehood in the New Years Honours List.

It marks a major departure from her predecessors, each of whom became a knight or a dame either during their tenure, or immediately after their departure.

Last night it was not clear whether Mrs Saunders had been snubbed by the honours committee, or if she had refused to accept her damehood. A source close to the 57-year-old refused to comment.

It comes after Ms Saunders faced heavy criticism for presiding over several rape cases that collapsed as a result of the prosecution failing to disclose evidence.

Earlier this year, two men whose lives were ruined by false rape allegations insisted that Ms Saunders should not be honoured after presiding over a “convictions at any cost culture”.

In a letter, Liam Allan, 23, and Samuel Armstrong, 25, said: “We were wronged by a justice system that was supposed to protect us,” adding that Ms Saunders “must not be rewarded for failure”.