HC Deb 20 July 1977 vol 935 cc554-5W
Mr. Adley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of cases of shoplifting brought before (a) magistrates courts and (b) Crown courts, resulted in acquittals, for each of the last five years.

Mr. John

The information available is as follows:

PROPORTION OF PERSONS TRIED FOR OFFENCES OF SHOPLIFTING WHO WERE ACQUITTED
England and Wales1971–1975
Percentages
Magistrates Courts Crown Court
1971 5 33
1972 5 32
1973 5 36
1974 5 32
1975 5 31

Figures for 1976 are not yet available.

These percentages are affected by the much higher proportion pleading guilty at magistrates' courts than at the Crown court. The proportion of persons who plead not guilty to shoplifting and are acquitted is about the same for magistrates' courts and the Crown court.

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