§ 74. Mr. Ray Powellasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many charges were made against miners during the period of the miners' strike, march 1984 to march 1985; what was the nature of the charges; how many were subsequently withdrawn or dismissed; and how many convictions have been proven.
§ Mr. Giles ShawA total of 10,372 criminal charges were brought in connection with the NUM dispute between 13 March 1984 and 5 March 1985 for the following offences. Details of defendants' occupations and the outcome of charges are not recorded centrally; but in a letter which I sent to my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) on 21 November 1985 I gave information obtained from police forces about the outcome of charges brought for offences of riot and/or unlawful assembly. A copy of the letter is in the Library.
Offence Number of charges Murder 3 Assault causing grievous bodily harm 39 Assault causing actual bodily harm 429 Assaulting a police constable 360 Possessing an offensive weapon 49 Riot 137 Unlawful assembly 509 Affray 21 Conduct conducive to a breach of the peace (Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1936) 4,107 Breach of the peace 207 Criminal damage 1,019 Criminal damage with intent to endanger life 4 Arson 15 Burglary 31 Theft 352 Handling stolen property 1 Obstruction of a police constable 1,682 Assault with intent to resist arrest 19 Breach of bail conditions 32 Obstruction of the highway 640 Reckless driving 16 Threats to kill 5 Threats/conspiracy to cause damage 13 Attempt (various offences) 18 Incitement 1 Intimidation (Section 7 of the conspiracy and Protection of Property Act 1875) 275 Unlawful imprisonment 2 Explosives offences 3 Drug offences 1 Railway offences 20 Drunkenness 66 Other offences 296