Table 2: Number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts of sexual offences against persons aged under 18 years, England and Wales 2004 to 2007, under the Sexual Offences Act 2003( 1, 2, 3, 4)
2004( 5)
2005
2006
2007
Offence class
Proceeded against
Found guilty
Proceeded against
Found guilty
Proceeded against
Found guilty
Proceeded against
Found guilty
Sexual assault of a male child aged under 13
27
9
119
65
118
63
130
77
Rape, attempted rape of a male or female aged under 13 or under 16
1,208
358
1,200
394
1,100
416
1,020
434
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Sexual assault of a female child aged under 13
162
41
495
212
531
315
582
342
Sexual activity with a male or female child aged under 13
97
30
304
123
293
181
337
206
Sexual activity with a male or female aged under 16
182
74
676
456
697
644
692
620
Familial sexual offences of a male or female child aged under 13
31
10
99
54
108
74
128
91
Abuse of children aged under 18 through prostitution and pornography
18
2
35
8
29
17
43
27
Abuse of trust sexual offences against a child aged under 18
5
3
12
14
20
18
17
18
Meeting a male or female aged under 16 following sexual grooming
9
3
28
25
43
36
41
51
Total
1,739
530
2,968
1,351
2,939
1,764
2,990
1,866
(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. (3) The numbers found guilty may exceed those proceeded against in table 1, as it may be the case that the proceedings in the magistrates court took place in the preceding year to the defendant being found guilty at the Crown court in the following year, or the defendant was found guilty for a different offence to the original offence proceeded against. (4) Covers offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 which identify the victim as a minor at the time the offences was committed. (5) Sexual Offences Act 2003 came into force on 1 May 2004. Source:
Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Evidence and Analysis Unit, Ministry of Justice
Paul Holmes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people in each region of England and Wales were (a) prosecuted for and (b) convicted on charges relating to having sexual intercourse with an underage person in each year since 1997. [280783]
Claire Ward:
The number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences relating to having sexual intercourse with an underage person, by region, 1997 to 2007 is shown in tables 1 and 2.
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 significantly modernised and strengthened the laws on sexual offences in England and Wales to provide extra protection to children from sexual exploitation. This makes direct comparisons with previous legislation very difficult. Many new offences created by the Act will not have a direct equivalent under the old legislation. Table 1 covers offences under the Sexual Offences Act 1956, with table 2 covering offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
These data are on the principal offence basis. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one 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.
Court proceedings data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
Table 1 : Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences relating to having sexual intercourse with an underage person, by region, England and Wales 1997 to 2003, under the Sexual Offences Act 1956 ( 1, 2, 3)
1997
1998
1999
2000
Region
Proceeded against
Found guilty
Proceeded against
Found guilty
Proceeded against
Found guilty
Proceeded against
Found guilty
North East
62
41
88
50
88
43
84
30
North West
132
85
149
82
136
98
135
82
Yorkshire and the Humber
134
50
143
74
168
72
149
80
East Midlands
100
58
103
51
113
61
105
43
West Midlands
92
72
103
65
94
55
96
53
East of England
83
43
97
51
123
54
88
43
London
68
43
105
57
96
46
136
45
South East
108
70
123
84
119
72
117
79
South West
109
48
97
47
98
44
89
57
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Wales
84
46
93
35
106
50
80
49
England and Wales
972
556
1,101
596
1,141
595
1,079
561
2001
2002
2003
Region
Proceeded against
Found guilty
Proceeded against
Found guilty
Proceeded against
Found guilty
North East
80
46
78
42
81
48
North West
205
85
217
91
206
88
Yorkshire and the Humber
172
58
164
68
150
63
East Midlands
113
55
106
39
108
51
West Midlands
154
60
184
64
166
79
East of England
100
47
101
48
95
49
London
172
47
235
56
285
73
South East
154
64
189
87
172
74
South West
115
39
109
40
104
62
Wales
112
45
127
48
99
40
England and Wales
1,377
546
1,510
583
1,466
627
(1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings 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 it 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 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. (3) 1997 to 2003 figures include the following offences under the Sexual Offences Act 1956:
—Rape of a person under 16
—Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13
—Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16
—Buggery with a person under 16 Source:
Evidence and Analysis Unit—Office for Criminal Justice Reform, Ministry of Justice
