FOI 433008
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 433008
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 19th September 2025. Please find below the response to your request:
It has been reported that freedom of Information and Ministry of Justice data suggest that in 2023, 35 (out of 43) police forces in England and Wales made over 12,000 arrests for offences under the Malicious Communications Act 1988 and Communications Act 2003, equating to over 30 arrests per day.
In respect of your police force, please can you tell me; in 2023, for each monitored thread (including age if you record that):
- How many complaints were recorded?
- How many investigations resulted from those complaints?
- How many non-crime hate incidents were recorded as a consequence of those investigations?
- How many arrests were made in respect of the complaints
- How many arrests resulted in
- No further action?
- Formal caution?
- Charge?
Reply
|
Table 1. |
|
|
Home Office primary offence title and code |
Number of offences |
|
(008/72) Send indecent or grossly offensive communication to cause distress or anxiety Sec 1A Malicious Communications Act 1988 |
3,198 |
|
(099/99) Triable Either Way Offences under: Communications Act 2003 except Sec 125, 126 |
1 |
|
(196/07) Communications Act 2003, Sending or causing sending of grossly offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing or false message / matter by electronic communications network |
14 |
|
Grand Total |
3,213 |
|
Table 2. |
|
|
Primary offence with at least one included hate crime recorded |
Number of offences/investigations |
|
(008/72) Send indecent or grossly offensive communication to cause distress or anxiety Sec 1A Malicious Communications Act 1988 |
123 |
|
(196/07) Communications Act 2003, Sending or causing sending of grossly offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing or false message / matter by electronic communications network |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
124 |
|
Table 3. |
|
|
Primary offence with included hate crime (specific hate strand) |
Number of offences/investigations |
|
(008/72) Send indecent or grossly offensive communication to cause distress or anxiety Sec 1A Malicious Communications Act 1988 |
128 |
|
Hate Incident - Alternative Sub-culture |
1 |
|
Hate Incident - Disability |
14 |
|
Hate Incident - Homophobic |
30 |
|
Hate Incident - Racial |
72 |
|
Hate Incident - Religious - Hindu |
1 |
|
Hate Incident - Religious - Muslim |
1 |
|
Hate Incident - Religious - Other |
1 |
|
Hate Incident - Religious - Unknown |
1 |
|
Hate Incident - Transgender |
7 |
|
(196/07) Communications Act 2003, Sending or causing sending of grossly offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing or false message / matter by electronic communications network |
1 |
|
Hate Incident - Racial |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
129 |
|
Table 4. |
|
|
Police outcomes |
Number of offences |
|
(088/72) Send indecent or grossly offensive communication to cause distress or anxiety Sec 1A Malicious Communications Act 1988 |
3,198 |
|
Type 1 - Charged/Summonsed/Postal Requisition |
39 |
|
Type 1A - Charged/Summons - alternate offence. Offender has been charged under the alternate offence rule. |
13 |
|
Type 2 - Caution Youth |
1 |
|
Type 3 - Caution Adult |
15 |
|
Type 8 - Community resolution (Crime) |
29 |
|
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 |
9 |
|
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 |
270 |
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
798 |
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
1,359 |
|
Type 17 - Prosecution Time Limit Expired: Suspect Identified But Prosecution Time Limit Has Expired |
9 |
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
631 |
|
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 |
12 |
|
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. |
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. |
8 |
|
Pending/under investigation |
2 |
|
(099/99) Triable Either Way Offences under: Communications Act 2003 except Sec 125, 126 |
1 |
|
Type 1 - Charged/Summonsed/Postal Requisition |
1 |
|
(196/07) Communications Act 2003, Sending or causing sending of grossly offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing or false message / matter by electronic communications network |
14 |
|
Type 1 - Charged/Summonsed/Postal Requisition |
1 |
|
Type 1A - Charged/Summons - alternate offence. Offender has been charged under the alternate offence rule. |
2 |
|
Type 8 - Community resolution (Crime) |
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 |
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
4 |
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
1 |
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
2 |
|
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 |
|
Pending/under investigation |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
3,213 |
|
Home Office primary offence title and code |
Number of Arrests |
|||||
|
(008/72) Send indecent or grossly offensive communication to cause distress or anxiety Sec 1A Malicious Communications Act 1988 |
150 |
|||||
|
(099/99) Triable Either Way Offences under: Communications Act 2003 except Sec 125, 126 |
1 |
|||||
|
(196/07) Communications Act 2003, Sending or causing sending of grossly offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing or false message / matter by electronic communications network |
5 |
|||||
|
Total |
156 |
|||||
|
|
Disposals Recorded on Custody Record |
|||||
|
Home Office primary offence title and code |
Caution |
Charge |
Community Resolution |
No Further Action |
No Disposal Recorded |
Total |
|
(008/72) Send indecent or grossly offensive communication to cause distress or anxiety Sec 1A Malicious Communications Act 1988 |
6 |
27 |
3 |
98 |
16 |
150 |
|
(099/99) Triable Either Way Offences under: Communications Act 2003 except Sec 125, 126 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
(196/07) Communications Act 2003, Sending or causing sending of grossly offensive / indecent / obscene / menacing or false message / matter by electronic communications network |
|
2 |
|
2 |
1 |
5 |
|
Total |
6 |
30 |
3 |
100 |
17 |
156 |