§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give, for the longest and most convenient period up to and including 1 February 1981, the number of reports of the offence known generally as mugging having occurred in the London borough of Newham; in how many cases arrests and charges have been made; to what extent the prosecutions which have ensued have proved successful; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Mayhew[pursuant to his reply, 19 February 1981, c. 90–91]: Mugging is a term with no legal definition. I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information available is as given in the following table. Information is not readily available on the court proceedings for persons charged.
Certain offences of robbery of personal property* London Borough of Newham 1978 1979 1980 Offences recorded by the police 130 113 93 Offences cleared up† 16 16 14 Persons arrested and charged†‡ 30 22 17 Persons arrested and referred to a juvenile bureau†‡ 6 1 4 * Offences of robbery of personal property following a sudden attack in the open, there having been no previous association between the assailant and the victim. † The offence may have been recorded in a previous year. ‡Excluding persons who were charged or referred to a juvenile bureau but who had been arrested for another offence.