FOI 375532
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 375532
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 29th November 2024. Please find below the response to your request:
For context, this request is related to crimes of abuse linked to faith or belief as defined by the Metropolitan Police in the link below (the Met’s definition is specially about children whereas I am looking at cases involving children and/or adults) - https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/caa/child-abuse/faith-based-abuse. It states: "Abuse linked to faith or belief is where concerns for a (person’s) welfare have been identified, and could be caused by, a belief in witchcraft, spirit or demonic possession, ritual or satanic abuse features; or when practices linked to faith or belief are harmful to a (person)."
Abuse linked to faith or belief is also defined here in this government national action plan -https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/175437/Action_Plan_-_Abuse_linked_to_Faith_or_Belief.pdf
For each calendar year 2021, 2022, 2023 and for the period 1st January 2024 to 28th November 2024, please could you tell me:
1) The number of cases of abuse linked to faith or belief (as defined above) that have been reported
2) A brief description of each case and the outcome if known (i.e. arrest, charge, on bail, no further action, etc)
3) The number of crime reports where the term "witch", or "witchcraft", or "demon", or "exorcism" is mentioned in the MO field of the crime report
4) A brief description of each reported crime from your answer to question 3) and the outcome if known (i.e. arrest, charge, on bail, no further action, etc)
Reply
West Mercia Police hold the information requested
For each calendar year 2021, 2022, 2023 and for the period 1st January 2024 to 28th November 2024, please could you tell me:
- The number of cases of abuse linked to faith or belief (as defined above) that have been reported
|
Crimes classed as related to Religious |
Calendar Year |
Grand Total |
|||
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
01/01/24 - 28/11/24 |
||
|
CRIME |
61 |
70 |
59 |
62 |
252 |
|
Grand Total |
61 |
70 |
59 |
62 |
252 |
2) A brief description of each case and the outcome if known (i.e. arrest, charge, on bail, no further action, etc)
|
Police Outcome for Crimes classed as related to Religious |
Calendar Year |
Grand Total |
|||
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
01/01/24 - 28/11/24 |
||
|
CRIME |
61 |
70 |
59 |
62 |
252 |
|
Type 1 - Charged/Summonsed/Postal Requisition |
3 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
11 |
|
Type 1A - Charged/Summons - alternate offence. Offender has been charged under the alternate offence rule. |
1 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
|
|
Type 3A - Caution Adult - alternate offence. Offender has been given a simple caution under the alternate offences rule. |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Type 8 - Community resolution (Crime) |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
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 |
3 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
16 |
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
15 |
14 |
17 |
7 |
53 |
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
18 |
22 |
10 |
10 |
60 |
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
18 |
20 |
20 |
28 |
86 |
|
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 |
2 |
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 |
|||
|
Pending/Under Investigation |
2 |
13 |
15 |
||
|
Grand Total |
61 |
70 |
59 |
62 |
252 |
|
Arrests linked to Crimes classed as Religious |
|||||
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
Total |
|
|
Number of Arrests |
5 |
4 |
6 |
1 |
16 |
With regards to a description for each case and for Q4; West Mercia Police is not obliged to comply with your request and it is being treated as over burdensome to the organisation, by virtue of S14(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”).
The right of access to information is not without exception and is subject to a number of exemptions and other provisions under the Act, including Section 14(1) which provides: Section 1(1) does not oblige a public authority to comply with a request for information if the request is vexatious.
Requests are deemed to be vexatious if they fit one or more of the following criteria:
- The request lacks any serious purpose or value
- The Request is burdensome to the Authority
- Disproportionate effort
Having reviewed your request, I have determined that the following factors are relevant in deeming your request vexatious:
- Burden on the authority
- Disproportionate effort
Although there is a serious purpose and value behind your request, I must consider whether the impact on the Force is justified. To provide you with the information requested would involve extensive reading and redaction of 317 entries. In coming to this conclusion, I have considered the Information Commissioner’s published guidance, dealing with vexatious requests (S14), particularly taking into account the volume of information to be considered for redaction and the resulting burden to the Force in reviewing and preparing the information for possible disclosure.
I would like to stress that I am not alleging that you deliberately made your request burdensome or drafted it with the intent of making it otherwise overwhelming or oppressive. It is the simple fact that the request cannot be answered, and the Force cannot reasonably comply with its obligations under S1(1) of the Act without incurring significant encumbrance and impact on its day-to-day activities.
In accordance with s.14(5) of the Act this acts as a Refusal Notice to this part of the request.
3) The number of crime reports where the term "witch", or "witchcraft", or "demon", or "exorcism" is mentioned in the MO field of the crime report
|
Total number of crimes which have "Witch", "Witchcraft", "Demon", or "Exorcism" in the incident summary |
Calendar Year |
Grand Total |
|||
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
01/01/24 - 28/11/24 |
||
|
CRIME |
24 |
16 |
17 |
8 |
65 |
|
Grand Total |
24 |
16 |
17 |
8 |
65 |
4) A brief description of each reported crime from your answer to question 3) and the outcome if known (i.e. arrest, charge, on bail, no further action, etc)
|
Plice outcomes for crimes which have "Witch", "Witchcraft", "Demon", or "Exorcism" in the incident summary |
Calendar Year |
Grand Total |
|||
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
01/01/24 - 28/11/24 |
||
|
CRIME |
13 |
13 |
15 |
6 |
47 |
|
Type 1 - Charged/Summonsed/Postal Requisition |
1 |
1 |
2 |
||
|
Type 3 - Caution Adult |
3 |
3 |
|||
|
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 |
9 |
1 |
1 |
11 |
|
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
3 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
11 |
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
4 |
6 |
9 |
4 |
23 |
|
Type 17 - Prosecution Time Limit Expired: Suspect Identified But Prosecution Time Limit Has Expired |
1 |
1 |
|||
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
3 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
9 |
|
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. |
2 |
2 |
|||
|
Pending/Under Investigation |
2 |
2 |
|||
|
Grand Total |
24 |
16 |
17 |
8 |
65 |
|
Arrests linked to crimes which have "Witch", "Witchcraft", "Demon", or "Exorcism" in the incident summary |
|||||
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
Total |
|
|
Number of Arrests |
4 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
8 |