FOI 290995
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 290995
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 13th November 2023. Please find below the response to your request:
Can you provide me with the number of sextortion cases reported to West Mercia Police - broken down by calendar year for the past five years - so 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023.
Of those reports, if possible please could you provide me with the number which have led to further action - arrest, charge, conviction, ongoing, etc.
Reply
Can you provide me with the number of sextortion cases reported to West Mercia Police - broken down by calendar year for the past five years - so 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023.
|
Home Office offence title and code |
Calendar Year |
Grand Total |
||||
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 (Jan-Oct) |
||
|
Attempted - Blackmail (35) |
12 |
8 |
15 |
15 |
17 |
67 |
|
Blackmail (35) |
78 |
159 |
316 |
446 |
553 |
1,552 |
|
Attempted - Disclose or threats to disclose private sexual photographs/film with intent to cause distress (8/71) |
|
2 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Disclose or threats to disclose private sexual photographs/film with intent to cause distress (8/71) |
102 |
104 |
169 |
165 |
136 |
676 |
|
Grand Total |
192 |
273 |
500 |
626 |
706 |
2,297 |
Of those reports, if possible please could you provide me with the number which have led to further action - arrest, charge, conviction, ongoing, etc.
|
Police Outcomes |
Calendar Year |
Grand Total |
||||
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 (Jan-Oct) |
||
|
Attempted - Blackmail (35) |
12 |
8 |
15 |
15 |
17 |
67 |
|
Type 14 - Evidential Difficulties Victim Based- Suspect Not Identified: Crime Confirmed But The Victim Either Declines Or Unable To Support Further Police Investigation To Identify The Offender |
4 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
7 |
25 |
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
6 |
2 |
10 |
9 |
8 |
35 |
|
Pending/under investigation |
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Blackmail (35) |
78 |
159 |
316 |
446 |
553 |
1,552 |
|
Type 1 - Charged/Summonsed/Postal Requisition |
2 |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
|
Type 1A - Charged/Summons - alternate offence. Offender has been charged under the alternate offence rule. |
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Type 3A - Caution Adult - alternate offence. Offender has been given a simple caution under the alternate offences rule. |
|
2 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Type 12 - Prosecution Prevented-Named Suspect Identified But Is Too Ill (Physical Or Mental Health) To Prosecute, or confirmed died either before crime reported or before enough evidence to charge |
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Type 14 - Evidential Difficulties Victim Based- Suspect Not Identified: Crime Confirmed But The Victim Either Declines Or Unable To Support Further Police Investigation To Identify The Offender |
27 |
69 |
116 |
134 |
117 |
463 |
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
3 |
6 |
16 |
15 |
20 |
60 |
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
11 |
22 |
27 |
20 |
17 |
97 |
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
31 |
58 |
154 |
274 |
363 |
880 |
|
Type 20 - Further action resulting from the crime report will be undertaken by another body or agency subject to the victim (or person acting on their behalf) being made aware of the act to be taken |
3 |
|
1 |
|
|
4 |
|
Type 22 - Diversionary, educational or intervention activity, resulting from the crime report, has been undertaken and it is not in the public interest to take any further action. |
1 |
|
|
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
Type AF – Action Fraud record filed temporarily awaiting result from master AF investigation |
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Pending/under investigation |
|
|
1 |
1 |
33 |
35 |
|
Attempted - Disclose or threats to disclose private sexual photographs/film with intent to cause distress (8/71) |
|
2 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Disclose or threats to disclose private sexual photographs/film with intent to cause distress (8/71) |
102 |
104 |
169 |
165 |
136 |
676 |
|
Type 1 - Charged/Summonsed/Postal Requisition |
10 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
3 |
26 |
|
Type 1A - Charged/Summons - alternate offence. Offender has been charged under the alternate offence rule. |
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Type 2 - Caution Youth |
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Type 3 - Caution Adult |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
2 |
14 |
|
Type 8 - Community resolution (Crime) |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
|
Type 12 - Prosecution Prevented-Named Suspect Identified But Is Too Ill (Physical Or Mental Health) To Prosecute, or confirmed died either before crime reported or before enough evidence to charge |
|
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
Type 14 - Evidential Difficulties Victim Based- Suspect Not Identified: Crime Confirmed But The Victim Either Declines Or Unable To Support Further Police Investigation To Identify The Offender |
10 |
23 |
18 |
18 |
7 |
76 |
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
20 |
15 |
38 |
42 |
31 |
146 |
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
45 |
44 |
84 |
75 |
41 |
289 |
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
8 |
16 |
16 |
21 |
21 |
82 |
|
Type 20 - Further action resulting from the crime report will be undertaken by another body or agency subject to the victim (or person acting on their behalf) being made aware of the act to be taken |
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
2 |
|
Type 21 - Further investigation resulting from crime report which could provide evidence sufficient to support formal action against the suspect is not in the public interest - police decision. |
|
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
Type 22 - Diversionary, educational or intervention activity, resulting from the crime report, has been undertaken and it is not in the public interest to take any further action. |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
Pending/under investigation |
|
|
1 |
1 |
29 |
31 |
|
Grand Total |
192 |
273 |
500 |
626 |
706 |
2,297 |
Caveat:
The following definition from the National Crime Agency has been used:
“Throughout 2022 and 2023, in the UK and internationally, there has been an increase in reporting of ‘Financially Motivated Sexual Extortion’– often referred to as ‘sextortion’.
What is Sextortion?
Sextortion can refer to a variety of offences committed online. It is most often used to describe online blackmail, where criminals threaten to release sexual/indecent images of you, unless you pay money or do something else to benefit them.
Sextortion may be:
Financial blackmail using sexual / indecent images that have been sent to somebody you’ve had contact with online.
Financial blackmail using images that have been stolen from you, taken through hacking or have been faked using image altering technology.
Blackmail using sexual/indecent images that have been sent to somebody, but with a demand for something other than money. This might be a demand for you to do something you don’t want to, like give them use of your bank account.”
In line with national police data returns, the report is based on crime input date. This means that an offence that has occurred some months or years previously but reported recently, will be counted against the year/month in which it was reported.