These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.
Prosecutions: Retail Trade
Bob Spink:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been (a) charged with and (b) convicted of selling tobacco to those under 18 years since the age of sale was raised to 18 years. [243905]
18 Dec 2008 : Column 1029W
Maria Eagle:
13 people have been proceeded against at magistrates courts and 11 people have been found guilty at all courts of selling tobacco to a person aged under 18 in England and Wales, from 1 October 2007 to 31 December 2007 (the latest available). The age of sale was raised from 16 to 18 on 1 October 2007. Charging data are not collected centrally by my Department.
The statistics relate to people for whom these offences were the principal offences. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
Queen Elizabeth II: Anniversaries
Andrew Rosindell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans his Department has to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012. [243971]
Mr. Straw:
The Ministry of Justice has not, at this stage, developed plans on how to mark the diamond jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen in 2012.
18 Dec 2008 : Column 1030W
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is in discussions with the royal household about how to mark the diamond jubilee.
Road Traffic Offences
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the 10 most common (a) offences and (b) motoring offences were for which (i) men and (ii) women of each age group were (A) prosecuted, (B) convicted, (C) fined and (D) sent to prison in (1) Essex and (2) England and Wales in the most recent 12 month period. [242752]
Maria Eagle:
Data showing the number of defendants proceeded against for the 10 most common offences in England and Wales and Essex for 2007, broken down by result, sex and age group are shown in tables A1 and A2 as follows.
Available information on motoring offences for 2007 (latest available) is provided in tables B1 and B2. The data are based on the 10 most common offences proceeded against. Some of these cover more than one offence where the data reported centrally do not identify them separately.
Table A1: The 10 most common offences p roceeded against at magistrates courts by result at all courts, sex and age-group for Essex police force area, 2007( 1, 2)
Number of persons
Males
All persons
Aged 10-17
Aged 18 and over
No
Offence description
Total proceedings
Total proceedings
Total findings of guilt
Fined
Immediate custody
Total proceedings
Total findings of guilt
Fined
Immediate custody
17000
1
Motor vehicle licences; failure to pay appropriate duty.
4,355
—
—
—
—
3,468
3,126
3,080
—
19101
2
Television licence evasion.
3,029
—
—
—
—
1,047
874
871
—
16901
3
Offences in relation to railways
2,591
22
12
10
—
2,056
1,725
1,719
1
10501
4
Common assault and battery.
2,397
401
337
4
8
1,625
1,117
68
233
4600
5
Stealing from shops and stalls.
2,024
217
207
18
3
1,259
1,194
254
344
14900
6
Criminal damage, value £5,000 or less.
1,353
368
310
3
—
835
709
172
43
8301
7
Failing to surrender to bail
1,152
67
31
3
—
925
420
208
69
12512
8
Harassment, alarm and distress.
815
121
83
20
—
564
507
345
—
18 Dec 2008 : Column 1031W
18 Dec 2008 : Column 1032W
806
9
Assaults occasioning actual bodily harm.
569
97
60
1
12
403
229
3
83
11606
10
Contravening the law relating to the regulation and control of fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish and eels etc.
534
1
—
—
—
525
506
497
—
Total
18,819
1,294
1,040
59
23
12,707
10,407
7,217
773
Number of persons
Females
Aged 10-17
Aged 18 and over
No
Offence description
Total proceedings
Total findings of guilt
Fined
Immediate custody
Total proceedings
Total findings of guilt
Fined
Immediate custody
17000
1
Motor vehicle licences; failure to pay appropriate duty.
—
—
—
—
887
805
794
—
19101
2
Television licence evasion.
—
—
—
—
1,982
1,742
1,741
—
16901
3
Offences in relation to railways
6
4
3
—
507
418
415
—
10501
4
Common assault and battery.
105
89
—
2
266
169
8
13
4600
5
Stealing from shops and stalls.
107
98
1
1
441
414
73
84
14900
6
Criminal damage, value £5,000 or less.
43
32
2
—
107
79
16
1
8301
7
Failing to surrender to bail
18
9
—
—
142
46
19
4
12512
8
Harassment, alarm and distress.
47
37
—
—
83
65
35
—
806
9
Assaults occasioning actual bodily harm.
14
9
1
1
55
23
—
2
11606
10
Contravening the law relating to the regulation and control of fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish and eels etc.
—
—
—
—
8
8
8
—
Total
340
278
7
4
4,478
3,769
3,109
104
18 Dec 2008 : Column 1033W
18 Dec 2008 : Column 1034W
(1) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
