FOI 367858
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO:367858
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 22nd October 2024. Please find below the response to your request:
I would like to know how many individuals were reported for a case of online abuse in the years 2022,2023 and 2024 individually where the offence was committed by an individual under the age of 18 and those 18 and over. I would like this age breakdown provided separately.
I would also like to know the outcomes of the report - how many were charged - for both those offenders under the age of 18 and those 18 and over. If you cannot provide this additional information please just provide the other information I have requested.
Online abuse defined as: death threats, cyber bullying, threats, sexual harassment, cyberstalking, emotional abuse, unsolicited sexual imagery and enticing violence or harm through online speech and comments.
Reply
West Mercia Police do hold the information requested. Please see tables below.
Caveat: We do not have keywords/flags/markers for the description of offending listed in the request. Searches have therefore been completed for Primary Offence Groups which should encompass the majority of these behaviours and the keyword of “Online” has been used to identify crimes that have an online element.
Investigations can have multiple suspects who may fall into both age categories. The way that our crime management system works means that investigations can only be closed with one outcome per investigation. If there are 7 suspects, 1 of whom is charged, 1 issued a caution and no action taken against the other 5 the investigation will show as being charged. We are unable to confirm what action has been taken against each individual within the crime system.
Each suspect has been counted once in each year. Therefore, if they were a suspect in multiple crimes in one year they will be counted once. However, if they were a suspect in multiple crimes in multiple years they will be counted once for every year an offence occurred. The third table shows the number of individuals who have been linked as suspect in one or more investigations in each calendar year. Some suspects can be linked to multiple crimes within one calendar year. In such circumstances, we have used the age that they were at the time that the first offence was reported.
|
Primary Offence Sub Groups (from identified Primary Offence Groups) of investigations which have been identified as having an online element |
Calendar Year (01/01/2022 - 30/09/2024) |
Grand Total |
||
|
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
||
|
OTHER OFFENCES PUBLIC ORDER |
89 |
86 |
54 |
229 |
|
OTHER SEXUAL OFFENCES |
412 |
414 |
353 |
1179 |
|
PUBLIC FEAR, ALARM OR DISTRESS |
10 |
8 |
6 |
24 |
|
RACE OR RELIGIOUS AGG PUBLIC FEAR |
4 |
2 |
3 |
9 |
|
RAPE |
5 |
19 |
8 |
32 |
|
STALKING AND HARASSMENT |
3839 |
2764 |
1794 |
8397 |
|
VIOLENCE WITH INJURY |
45 |
38 |
15 |
98 |
|
VIOLENCE WITHOUT INJURY |
73 |
46 |
22 |
141 |
|
VIOLENT DISORDER |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
Grand Total |
4477 |
3378 |
2255 |
10110 |
|
Outcome of investigations from identified Primary Offence Groups) of investigations which have been identified as having an online element |
Calendar Year (01/01/2022 - 30/09/2024) |
Grand Total |
||
|
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
||
|
Type 1 - Charged/Summonsed/Postal Requisition |
132 |
139 |
45 |
316 |
|
Type 1A - Charged/Summons - alternate offence. Offender has been charged under the alternate offence rule. |
45 |
48 |
7 |
100 |
|
Type 2 - Caution Youth |
4 |
2 |
1 |
7 |
|
Type 3 - Caution Adult |
22 |
10 |
6 |
38 |
|
Type 3A - Caution Adult - alternate offence. Offender has been given a simple caution under the alternate offences rule. |
3 |
3 |
|
6 |
|
Adult Caution - conditional |
|
|
4 |
4 |
|
Type 6 - Penalty notice for disorder |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
Type 8 - Community resolution (Crime) |
11 |
31 |
20 |
62 |
|
Type 9 - Prosecution Not In the Public Interest (CPS) |
1 |
7 |
|
8 |
|
Type 10 - Formal Action Against Offender is not in the Public Interest (Police) |
1 |
3 |
3 |
7 |
|
Type 11 - Prosecution Prevented-Named Suspect Identified But Is Below The Age Of Criminal Responsibility |
1 |
1 |
1 |
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 |
2 |
6 |
5 |
13 |
|
Type 13 - Prosecution Prevented-Named Suspect Identified But Victim Or Key Witness Is Dead Or Too Ill To Give Evidence |
3 |
|
|
3 |
|
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 |
458 |
261 |
141 |
860 |
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
1162 |
886 |
406 |
2454 |
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
1873 |
1156 |
813 |
3842 |
|
Type 17 - Prosecution Time Limit Expired: Suspect Identified But Prosecution Time Limit Has Expired |
17 |
15 |
9 |
41 |
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
663 |
694 |
358 |
1715 |
|
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 |
15 |
14 |
9 |
38 |
|
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. |
6 |
22 |
9 |
37 |
|
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. |
39 |
10 |
18 |
67 |
|
Ongoing Investigation |
18 |
70 |
400 |
488 |
|
Grand Total |
4477 |
3378 |
2255 |
10110 |
|
Number of Suspects (shown by age range calculated from first offence they were involved in within the calendar year) linked to relevant investigations |
Calendar Year (01/01/2022 - 30/09/2024) |
Grand Total |
||
|
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
||
|
17 and Under |
567 |
526 |
400 |
1493 |
|
18 and Over |
1712 |
1545 |
1207 |
4464 |
|
Not Known |
2 |
|
1 |
3 |
|
Grand Total |
2281 |
2071 |
1608 |
5960 |