Terrorism (Hansard, 1 November 1988)

§ Mr. McNamara
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the average period between remand and trial for prisoners refused bail and charged with scheduled offences in Northern Ireland in 1987 and the first half of the current year.

§ Mr. Ian Stewart
The average length of time spent on custodial remand for persons who were charged with scheduled offences and in custody at time of trial was 178 days for persons tried in 1987 and 164 days for persons tried in the first six months of 1988.

§ Mr. McNamara
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications for bail, by those held on remand for scheduled and non-scheduled offences, and both together, were refused bail in the first six months of the current year.

§ Mr. Ian Stewart
In the first six months of 1988 there was a total of 638 applications for bail in the High Court in Northern Ireland by those held on remand for scheduled offences. A total of 280 of these applications were refused. In addition, there were 193 applications in respect of persons on remand for non-scheduled offences; 107 of which were refused. Information is not available in relation to unsuccessful applications in respect of non-scheduled offences in the magistrates' courts.
631W

§ Mr. McNamara
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of prisoners on custodial remand for scheduled and non-scheduled offences respectively, were(a) given a non-custodial sentence, (b) given a custodial sentence and (c) found not guilty or not proceeded against in the first six months of the current year.

§ Mr. Ian Stewart
The information is as follows:

Disposal Scheduled offences Per cent. Non-scheduled offences Per cent.

Non-custodial sentence 16.9 21.1

Custodial sentence 68.6 62.4

Found not guilty or not proceeded against 14.5 16.5

Appeal abandoned Appeal dismissed Conviction quashed Sentence varied Refused Total number disposed of

1st Quarter 6 7 0 4 0 17

2nd Quarter 5 20 3 4 0 32

3rd Quarter 1 4 0 0 ¹1 6

¹ This was an application for an extension of time to allow an appeal to be lodged.

Disposal	Scheduled offences Per cent.	Non-scheduled offences Per cent.
Non-custodial sentence	16.9	21.1
Custodial sentence	68.6	62.4
Found not guilty or not proceeded against	14.5	16.5

	Appeal abandoned	Appeal dismissed	Conviction quashed	Sentence varied	Refused	Total number disposed of
1st Quarter	6	7	0	4	0	17
2nd Quarter	5	20	3	4	0	32
3rd Quarter	1	4	0	0	¹1	6
¹ This was an application for an extension of time to allow an appeal to be lodged.