HC Deb 14 January 1994 vol 235 cc335-6W
Mr. Beggs

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many dogs have been destroyed as a result of action taken under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991;

Defendants Proceeded Against at Magistrates Courts for Offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
Aggravated offences Non-aggravated offences
England and Wales 1992 Section 1(2)(a) Section 1(2)(b) Section 1(2)(c) Section 1(2)(d) Section 1(2)(e) Section 1(3) Section 3(1) Section 3(3) Section 3(1) Section 3(3)
Total proceeded against 31 4 3 187 27 209 310 20 389 30
Proceedings discontinued 5 1 44 6 30 35 5 37 4
Withdrawn or dismissed 15 1 56 11 54 122 7 168 16
Total found guilty 11 3 2 85 10 125 123 8 181 10
Total committed for sentence 11 3 2 85 10 124 123 8 181 10
Absolute discharge 4 1 6 2 12 6 11
Conditional disharge 1 1 17 40 27 3 37 4
Fine 5 2 1 59 7 65 49 5 112 6
Unsuspended sentence of imprisonment 1
Immediate custody 1
Otherwise dealt with 1 2 1 7 41 21

Note: There were no probation or supervision orders imposed.

Defendants found guilty at Crown Court for offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 England and Wales 1992
Section 3(1) aggravated Section 3(3) offences
Total found guilty 8
Total committed for sentence 8
Conditional discharge 3
Fine 3
Otherwise dealt with 2

(2) what plans he has to amend or review the operation of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991;

(3) what has been the annual cost to public funds of legal proceedings brought under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

Mr. Charles Wardle

Information on the number of dogs destroyed, and on the cost of legal proceedings in connection with action taken under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, is not collected centrally. However, information on the number of prosecutions, convictions and cautions under the Act during 1992, the first full year of its operation, is given in the tables.

The Act is kept under continuing review. We shall shortly be issuing a further Home Office circular on aspects of the operation of the legislation, but I have no plans to amend the Act.

Defendants cautioned for offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
England and Wales 1992
Section 1 (2) (a) 4
Section 1 (2) (b) 2
Section 1 (2) (c)
Section 1 (2) (d) 10
Section 1 (2) (e)
Section 1 (3) 24
Section 3 (1)1 21
Section 3 (3)1 5
Section 3 (1)2 143
Section 3 (3)2 3
1 Aggravated offences.
2 Non-aggravated offences.

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