Sprawling fraud cases that have little chance of success would be scrapped in favour of dozens of new probes into crimes such as corporate corruption abroad and consumer scams, under plans floated by the Serious Fraud Office.

Richard Alderman, SFO director, said the agency aimed to increase its case-load of 65 to 100 or more by closing unpromising probes and switching the resources to new investigations in growth areas of financial crime.