HC Deb 07 July 1980 vol 988 cc20-1W
Mr. Greville Janner

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, of the 47 per cent. of those who pleaded not guilty on shoplifting charges in England and Wales in 1978 who were acquitted, how many and what percentage of males and how many and what percentage of females, respectively, and how many and

PERSONS PLEADING NOT GUILTY* TO OFFENCES OF SHOPLIFTING WHO WERE ACQUITTED BY SEX AND TYPE OF COURT ENGLAND AND WALES 1978
All courts Persons acquitted Magistrates' courts Persons acquitted Crown Court Persons acquitted
Sex Number† As a percentage of those pleading not guilty Number† As a percentage of those pleading not guilty Number† As a percentage of those pleading not guilty
Males 1,800 45 1,400 45 400 47
Females 2,300 48 1,800 48 500 49
All persons 4,100 47 3,200 47 900 48
* Persons dealt with after a full hearing.
† Rounded to the nearest hundred.

Mr. Greville Janner

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many males and how many females among the 44 per cent. and 56 per cent., respectively, of those acquitted of shoplifting charges suffered from psychiatric illness before or after such acquittal, respectively, due to the stress caused by such prosecutions.

Mr. Brittan

The information requested is not collected centrally.