this is an option for judges and is often used, they will normally say in open court to the CPS barrister something like “you may wish to consider amending the indictment to include “x” offence” the judge doesn’t mean they should consider it they are basically telling them to.
if after a a trial they can make the same sort of comments but in most cases will write to the CPS also because a trial is finished they don’t want the CPS to see that’s the end of it and forget their comments so will write.
the one thing that many people have forgotten in this trial is the trial judge is a Justice From the high Court sitting in a crown court, she has vast experience conducting trials and High Court judges are used in high profile public interest cases to make sure the trials are run correctly, no errors in things like directions or summing up and lawful rulings. The Hon. Mrs Justice McGowan, is not your standard crown court judge
for the record the Evening Telegraph reporting has been abysmal
