HC Deb 30 July 1981 vol 9 cc522-5W

Part I—Statistics of Terrorist Activity

Statistics for terrorist activity comprise the following:

  1. (i) Number of shooting incidents
  2. (ii) Number of explosions
  3. (iii) Number of bombs and devices neutralised
  4. (iv) Weight of explosives in bombs and devices neutralised
  5. (v) Number of malicious fires
  6. (vi) Number of armed robberies and amount stolen
  7. (vii) Number of deaths and injuries of RUC/ RUC'R', Army and civilians

Part II—Statistics of Security Forces' Activity

Statistics for Security Forces' activity comprise the following:

  1. (i) Number of houses searched
  2. (ii) Number of weapons, pounds of explosives and rounds of ammunition found
  3. (iii) Number of people charged with serious security type offences: (murder, attempted murder, explosives offences, firearms offences, armed robbery and other offences relating to the security situations eg arson, membership of illegal organizations etc.)

Yearly Figures
1978 1979 1980 January-June 1981
Deaths: Army/UDR 21 48 16 15
Deaths: RUC/RUC'R' 10 14 9 12
Injuries: Civilians 548 555 513 538
Injuries: Army/UDR 135 153 77 97
Injuries: RUC/RUC'R' 302 165 194 236
* Estimated Weight only.
† Consolidated figures not available for earlier years.
‡ No figure available.

Statistics on Security Part II
Yearly Figures
1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978
Houses Searched (2) 17,262 36,617 74,556 71,914 30,092 34,939 20,724 15,462
Finds: Firearms 717 1,264 1,595 1,260 825 837 590 400
Finds: Ammunition (rds) 157,944 183,410 187,399 147,202 73,604 70,306 52,091 43,512
Finds: Explosives (lbs) 2,748 41,488 38,418 26,120 11,565 21,714 3,809 2,108

Persons charged with serious security type offences (1)

31 July-31 Dec
1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978
Murder 13 71 75 138 120 131 60
Attempted Murder 16 85 75 88 121 135 79
Firearms Offences 242 631 544 460 353 301 225
Explosives Offences 86 236 161 100 215 146 79
Theft Act 111 186 232 314 188 203 151
Other 63 205 275 97 279 392 249
TOTAL 531 1,414 1,362 1,197 1,276 1,308 843

(1) These figures are not available in consolidated form for earlier years.

(2) Includes occupied and unoccupied houses searched.

Statistics on Security Part II
Yearly Figures
1979 1980 January-June 1981
Houses searched† 6,452 4,106 1,536
Finds: Firearms 301 203 195
Finds: Amunition (rds) 46,280 28,078 25,829
Finds: Explosives (lbs) 1,996.25 1,810 3,020.3

Persons Convicted and Sentences Imposed at Belfast Crown Court

January-June 1981

Notes on the Tables:

  1. 1. The offence classifications are based on those used by the Crown and Peace Office in their annual return.
  2. 2. The tables relate to persons convicted at the Belfast Crown Court. This covers all scheduled offences tried on indictment.
  3. 3. Some jury trials are included in cases where the Attorney General certified out of the scheduled mode of dial, i.e. non-terrorist serious offences.
  4. 4. Where a person has been convicted of more than one offence only the most serious or that which received the longest sentences is recorded in the statistics.

Imprisonment
Offence Number convicted Non-custodial sentence Borstal or Training Centre Less than 5 years 5 years and less than 7 years 7 years and less than 10 years 10 years and less than 15 years 15 years and less than 20 years 20 years and over Life
Murder 27 27
Attempted Murder 11 1 3 2 5
Conspiracy to Murder 4 1 2 1
Manslaughter 10 2 1 3 3 1

Persons charged with serious security type offences*
1979 1980 January-June 1981
Murder 45 63 16
Attempted Murder 39 59 41
Firearms Offences 177 112 59
Explosives Offences 40 39 24
Theft Act 159 128 93
Other 210 149 239
Total 670 550 472
* These figures are not available in consolidated form for earlier years.
† Includes occupied and unoccupied houses searched.

Offence Number convicted Non-custodial sentence Borstal or Training Centre Less than 5 years 5 years and less than 7 years 7 years and less than 10 years 10 years and less than 15 years 15 years and less than 20 years 20 years and over Life
Wounding with Intent to do Grievous Bodily Harm 9 4 1 2 2
Causing Grievous Bodily Harm 8 2 3 1 2
Assault Occasioning Grievous Bodily Harm 1 1
Causing Explosion 10 2 3 4 1
Placing Explosive 3 3
Possessing Explosives with Intent 7 1 5 1
Other Explosive Offences 3 1 1 1
Possessing a Firearm with Intent 9 1 3 1 2 2
Possessing a Firearm —
Carrying a Firearm with Intent 5 2 1 1 1
Other Major Firearms Offences 44 17 7 8 4 7 1
Minor Firearms Offences 1 1
Robbery 81 31 19 22 4 3 2
Aggravated Burglary —
Hi-Jacking 8 3 3 2
Arson 18 12 4 1 1
Petrol Bomb Offences 1 1
Criminal Damage 12 6 6
Escape Offences 1 1
Assisting Offenders 2 2
Intimidation
Withholding information 4 4
Possessing Prohibited Articles
Common Law Riot
Assault 1 1
Membership of Illegal Organisations 7 2 3 2
Unlawful Collection of Information 2 2
Illegal Training 2 1 1
Kidnapping and False Imprisonment —
Contributing to Resources of a Proscribed Organisation 1 1
Malicious Damage —
TOTAL 292 92 47 46 24 20 21 6 8 28