Mr. W. H. K. Bakerasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many cases of mugging were reported in the cities and towns of Scotland in each of the past five years to the nearest convenient date;
(2) how many cases of mugging were reported in the landward areas of Scotland in each of the past five years to the nearest convenient date;
(3) how many cases of mugging were reported in each of the constabulary areas of Scotland in each of the past five years to the nearest convenient date;
(4) in how many cases of mugging reported in Scotland in each of the past five years actions were brought against suspected offenders; and what proportion of the prosecutions was successful;
(5) what was the average age, and what were the extreme ages, of offenders successfully prosecuted in cases of mugging reported in Scotland in each of the past five years to the nearest convenient date;
(6) what was the minimum and what was the maximum sentence imposed in successful prosecutions brought in cases of mugging in Scotland in each of the past five years to the nearest convenient date;
(7) in how many cases of mugging reported in Scotland during the past five years to the nearest convenient date offensive weapons were used in perpetration of the crime;
(8) in how many successful prosecutions brought for mugging in Scotland in each of the past five years to the nearest convenient date the offences were perpetrated by first offenders;
(9) in how many cases of mugging reported in Scotland in each of the past five years to the nearest convenient date victims were killed, seriously injured or injured;
(10) what was the predominant age range of victims of those prosecuted in cases of mugging reported in Scotland in each of the past five years to the nearest convenient date;
293W(11) what was the percentage of females attacked in all cases of mugging reported in Scotland in each of the past five years to the nearest convenient date.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellThe information is not available, since there is no legal definition of the term "mugging ". As generally understood, "mugging"
ROBBERY AND ASSULTS WITH INTENT TO ROB CASES MADE KNOWN TO THE POLICE Police Area 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 Aberdeen … … 22 25 36 27 39 Dundee … … 57 64 72 83 76 Edinburgh … … 174 176 214 242 197 Glasgow … … 1,081 1,218 1,094 1,356 1,483 Angus … … 1 6 4 1 2 Argyll … … 1 — — 5 1 Ayr … … 51 31 30 64 64 Berwick, Roxburgh and Selkirk … … 1 7 4 1 1 Northern … … — 1 — 1 1 Dumfries … … 3 4 2 3 4 Dunbartonshire … … 30 35 42 61 46 Fife … … 15 10 6 19 19 Inverness … … 5 7 4 16 27 Lanark … … 103 114 126 110 165 Lothians and Peebles … … 14 23 25 21 19 Perth and Kinross … … 11 9 10 9 11 Renfrew and Bute … … 62 89 113 98 134 Ross and Sutherland … … — — — — 1 Scottish NE Counties … … 2 2 — 3 12 Stirling and Clackmannan … … 11 11 22 18 31 1,644 1,832 1,804 2,138 2,333
ROBBERY AND ASSAULTS WITH INTENT TO ROB PERSONS PROCEEDED AGAINST Year Total persons proceeded against Total persons convicted Percentage conviction 1967 … … 380 290 75.9 1968 … … 470 364 77.4 1969 … … 464 364 78.4 1970 … … 554 446 80.5 1971 … … 534 439 82.1
ROBBERY AND ASSAULT WITH INTENT TO ROB AGE OF PERSONS CONVICTED OR FOUND GUILTY Year Under 17 17–20 21–29 10–49 50 and over Total 1967 … 61 103 93 32 1 290 1968 … 122 100 100 40 2 364 1969 … 136 104 95 25 4 364 1970 … 157 168 89 30 2 446 1971 … 111* 160 123 41 4 439 * Not comparable to previous years in view of the introduction on 15th April 1971 of alternative methods of dealing with children under Part III of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.
294W
ROBBERY AND ASSAULT WITH INTENT TO ROB PERSONS WITH NO KNOWN PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS Year Total number convicted Total with no known previous convictions Percentage 1967 … … 290 51 17.6 1968 … … 364 63 17.3 1969 … … 364 72 19.8 1970 … … 446 93 20.8 1971 … … 439 87 19.8 falls within the crimes of robbery and assault with intent to rob, although those offences cover circumstances which would not be described as "mugging ".
The following tables give for the years 1967–71 figures relating to crimes of robbery and assault with intent to rob made known to the police. Figures for 1972 are not yet available.
295WIn view of concern about the incidence of "mugging" I recently asked Scottish chief constables for a report—defining "mugging" for the purpose as robberies by two or more youths on people walking alone in the open or in public places. Their reports do not suggest any significant recent increase in the incidence of such offences. If incidents occur in a locality, extra police cover is provided to deal with the problem.