Home Department written question – answered on 5th July 2005.
Humfrey Malins
Shadow Minister, (Assisted By Shadow Law Officers)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people (a) over 18 years and (b) under 18 years were prosecuted for offences under section (i) 1, (ii) 2, (iii) 3, (iv) 4, (v) 4(a) and (vi)5.5 of the Public Order Act 1986 in each of the last three years; and how many were convicted in each case.
Hazel Blears
Minister of State (Home Office) (Policing, Security and Community Safety), Member, Labour Party National Executive Committee
The information contained in the following table gives the number of defendants proceeded against at the magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under the Public Order Act 1986, Secs one, two, three, four, 4A and five, in England and Wales from 2001 to 2003. Statistics on court proceedings for 2004 will be published in the autumn.
| Aged 10 to 17 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offence description | Statute | Year | Proceeded against | Found guilty |
| Riot | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 9 | 7 |
| Sec 1 | 2002 | 37 | 34 | |
| 2003 | 3 | 2 | ||
| Violent | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 1,214 | 155 |
| disorder | Sec 2 | 2002 | 996 | 182 |
| 2003 | 897 | 194 | ||
| Affray | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 3,169 | 1,236 |
| Sec 3 | 2002 | 3,026 | 1,233 | |
| 2003 | 2,821 | 1,152 | ||
| Fear or | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 2,597 | 1,532 |
| provocation | Sec 4 as amended by | 2002 | 2,519 | 1,527 |
| of violence(54) | Crime and Disorder Act 1998 Sec31(1)(a) and (4) | 2003 | 2,529 | 1,535 |
| Causing | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 526 | 224 |
| intentional | Sec 4A as amended by | 2002 | 453 | 214 |
| harassment, alarm or distress(55) | Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 154 | 2003 | 466 | 238 |
| Harassment, | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 4,763 | 2,819 |
| alarm or | Sec 5 as amended by | 2002 | 4,442 | 2,685 |
| distress(56) | Crime and Disorder Act 1998, Sec 31 (1)(c) and (5) | 2003 | 4,846 | 2,984 |
| Aged 18 and over | ||||
| Offence description | Statute | Year | Proceeded against | Found guilty |
| Riot | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 71 | 3 |
| Sec 1 | 2002 | 124 | 99 | |
| 2003 | 34 | 43 | ||
| Violent | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 3,373 | 513 |
| disorder | Sec 2 | 2002 | 2,720 | 704 |
| 2003 | 2,380 | 625 | ||
| Affray | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 13,641 | 5,965 |
| Sec 3 | 2002 | 13,392 | 5,949 | |
| 2003 | 12,970 | 5,893 | ||
| Fear or | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 14,826 | 10,043 |
| provocation | Sec 4 as amended by | 2002 | 14,883 | 10,106 |
| of violence(54) | Crime and Disorder Act 1998 Sec31(1)(a) and (4) | 2003 | 14,962 | 10,314 |
| Causing | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 1873 | 972 |
| intentional | Sec 4A as amended by | 2002 | 1817 | 976 |
| harassment, alarm or distress(55) | Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 154 | 2003 | 2028 | 1113 |
| Harassment, | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 19,621 | 13,394 |
| alarm or | Sec 5 as amended by | 2002 | 20,235 | 13,987 |
| distress(56) | Crime and Disorder Act 1998, Sec 31 (1)(c) and (5) | 2003 | 21,852 | 15,416 |
| All ages | ||||
| Offence description | Statute | Year | Proceeded against | Found guilty |
| Riot | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 80 | 10 |
| Sec 1 | 2002 | 161 | 133 | |
| 2003 | 37 | 45 | ||
| Violent | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 4,587 | 668 |
| disorder | Sec 2 | 2002 | 3,716 | 886 |
| 2003 | 3,277 | 819 | ||
| Affray | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 16,810 | 7,201 |
| Sec 3 | 2002 | 16,418 | 7,182 | |
| 2003 | 15,791 | 7,045 | ||
| Fear or | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 17,423 | 11,575 |
| provocation | Sec 4 as amended by | 2002 | 17,402 | 11,633 |
| of violence(54) | Crime and Disorder Act 1998 Sec31(1)(a) and (4) | 2003 | 17,491 | 11,849 |
| Causing | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 2,399 | 1,196 |
| intentional | Sec as amended by | 2002 | 2,270 | 1,190 |
| harassment, alarm or distress(55) | Criminal Justice 4A and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 154 | 2003 | 2,494 | 1,351 |
| Harassment, | Public Order Act 1986, | 2001 | 24,384 | 16,213 |
| alarm or | Sec 5 as amended by | 2002 | 24,677 | 16,672 |
| distress(56) | Crime and Disorder Act 1998, Sec 31 (1)(c) and (5) | 2003 | 26,698 | 18,400 |
(53)These data are on the principal offence basis.
(54)Includes offences: Racially aggravated fear or provocation of violence, Religiously aggravated fear or provocation of violence and Racially or religiously aggravated fear or provocation of violence.
(55)Includes offences: Racially aggravated causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress, Religiously aggravated causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress and Racially or religiously aggravated causing intentional harassment, alarm or distress.
(56)Includes offences: Racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress, Religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress and Racially or religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress.
Yes10 people think so
No10 people think not
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