§ Mr. Greville Jannerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men, how many women and how many children have been prosecuted for shoplifting during each of the last five years for which records are available; of those who pleaded not guilty in each category, how many and what percentage were acquitted by magistrates' courts and by Crown courts, respectively; and how many and what percentage of the unsuccessful prosecutions were brought by shopkeepers or other private individuals and how many and what percentage by the police.
§ Mr. Alexander W. LyonFollowing is the available information on persons proceeded against for shoplifting:—
PERSONS PROCEEDED AGAINST FOR SHOPLIFTING AND PERSONS ACQUITTED OR FOUND GUILTY England and Wales 1969–1973 Persons proceeded against Magistrates' courts The Crown Court Year Acquitted Found guilty Acquitted Found guilty 1969 … … … … 40,181 1,574 37,527 201 357 1970 … … … … 43,477 1,845 40,114 222 478 1971 … … … … 47,589 2,094 43,592 319 659 1972 … … … … 49,611 2,307 45,043 416 876 1973 … … … … 48,446 2,219 44,373 525 929
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those convicted of shoplifting for the first time had ever previously been on criminal charges; and how many were subsequently charged with shoplifting again, after an initial conviction, for each of the last five years for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Alexander W. LyonI regret that the information is not available.