§ Mr. ShersbyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons convicted of taking away vehicles without consent were given custodial sentences of up to three years' imprisonment in each of the five years before the penalty was reduced to six months in the Criminal Justice Act 1988.
§ Mr. John PattenThe information requested is given in the table. Of those sentenced, about 3 per cent. in each year received a sentence of over six months in custody.
679W
Number of persons sentenced to immediate custody at all courts for offences of unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle and unauthorised taking of conveyance other than motor vehicle or pedal cycle by sentence length 1983 to 19881 England and Wales Sentence length Offence Year Total sentenced Total immediate custody 6 months and under Over 6 months and up to 1 year Over 1 year and up to 18 months Over 18 months and up to 2 years Over 2 years and up to 3 years Over 3 years Unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle 1983 25,615 5,886 5,134 516 161 59 12 4 1984 22,673 4,564 4,006 430 83 28 15 2 1985 23,159 4,828 4,171 472 121 50 13 1 1986 21,993 4,398 3,766 464 105 47 16 — 1987 21,331 4,052 3,382 485 146 28 11 — 11988 20,496 3,658 3,022 491 103 36 6 — Unauthorised taking of a conveyance other than a motor vehicle or pedal cycle 1983 172 3 2 1 — — — — 1984 167 3 3 — — — — — 1985 90 6 5 1 — — — — 1986 92 6 3 2 1 — — — 1987 62 4 1 1 1 1 — — 11988 78 1 1 — — — — — 1 These two triable-either-way offences were reclassified as summary offences under the Criminal Justices Act 1988 (12 October 1988).