§ Mr. OatenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions under the Misuse of Computers Act 1990 were(a)initiated and (b)discontinued in each region in each of the last 10 years. [172426]
§ Paul GogginsThe requested information is contained in the table.
Statistics on court proceedings for 2003 will be published in the autumn.
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Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and those where the proceedings were discontinued etc. for offences under the Computer Misuse Act 19901, by region, England and Wales 1993 to 2002 Section 12 Section 22 Section 32 Year/region Proceeded against Discontinued3 Proceeded against Discontinued3 Proceeded against Discontinued3 1995 North East n/a n/a — — — — North West n/a n/a — — — — Yorkshire and Humberside n/a n/a — — — — East Midlands n/a n/a — — — — West Midlands n/a n/a — — 1 — East n/a n/a — — — — London n/a n/a — — 2 — South East n/a n/a — — 2 — South West n/a n/a — — — — Wales n/a n/a — — — — England and Wales n/a n/a — — 5 — 1996 North East n/a n/a — — — — North West n/a n/a — — — — Yorkshire and Humberside n/a n/a — — — — East Midlands n/a n/a — — — — West Midlands n/a n/a — — 1 1 East n/a n/a 1 1 — — London n/a n/a 1 — — — South East n/a n/a — — 1 — South West n/a n/a — — — — Wales n/a n/a — — — — England and Wales n/a n/a 2 1 2 1 1997 North East n/a n/a — — — — North West n/a n/a — — 1 — Yorkshire and Humberside n/a n/a — — — — East Midlands n/a n/a — — — — West Midlands n/a n/a — — — — East n/a n/a — — 1 — London n/a n/a — — 5 — South East n/a n/a — — — — South West n/a n/a — — — — Wales n/a n/a — — — — England and Wales n/a n/a — — 7 — 1998 North East — — — — — — North West — — — — 1 — Yorkshire and Humberside 1 — — — — — East Midlands 1 — — — — — West Midlands — — 3 — 1 1 East 1 1 — — — — London — — — — 1 — South East 3 2 — — — — South West — — — — 1 — Wales — — 3 — — — England and Wales 6 3 6 — 4 1 1999 North East — — — — — — North West — — 1 — — 1 Yorkshire and Humberside — — — — — — East Midlands 1 1 — — 1 1 West Midlands 1 — — — — — East — — — — — — London — — — — — — South East 3 2 — — 2 — South West — — — — — — Wales 1 1 2 — — — England and Wales 6 4 4 — 4 1
Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and those where the proceedings were discontinued etc. for offences under the Computer Misuse Act 19901, by region, England and Wales 1993 to 2002 Section 12 Section 22 Section 32 Year/region Proceeded against Discontinued3 Proceeded against Discontinued3 Proceeded against Discontinued3 East Midlands — — — — 1 — West Midlands 1 — — — 1 1 East — — 1 — 1 1 London 2 — 2 1 2 — South East — — — — 1 — South West — — — — 1 — Wales 1 1 — — 1 1 England and Wales 8 1 3 1 8 3 2001 North East — — — — — — North West — — — — 3 — Yorkshire and Humberside — — — — 7 — East Midlands — — — — 1 — West Midlands 1 — 1 — — — East 1 — — — — — London 1 — 2 — 1 — South East 1 — 1 1 — — South West 1 — — — — — Wales 4 1 — — — — England and Wales 9 1 4 1 12 — 2002 North East — — — — — — North West — — 1 — 1 1 Yorkshire and Humberside — — — — — — East Midlands 2 2 1 1 1 — West Midlands — — 1 — 1 1 East — — — — — — London — — — — 4 — South East — — 1 — 1 — South West 2 — 2 — — — Wales — — — — — — England and Wales 4 2 6 1 8 2 n/a = not available. 1These data are on the principal offence basis. 2Sections of the Computer Misuse Act 1990 are as follows. Section 1–Unauthorised access to computer material Section 2–Unauthorised access to commit or facilitate commission of further offences. Section 3–Unauthorised modification of computer material 3Also includes cases where no evidence was offered or charges withdrawn, and cases discharged under Section 6 MCA 1980.