Cyprus (Hansard, 7 December 1994)

§ Mr. Cox
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the number of British service personnel convicted by a civilian court for a criminal offence in Cyprus in each of the last three years; and if he will list the offences concerned.
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§ Mr. Soames
Details of Royal Air Force personnel convicted of criminal offences by a civilian court in Cyprus since 1992 are as follows:

Year Number Charge

1992 6 Five cases of drink-related driving offences. One public order offence.

1993 12 All cases of drink-related driving offences.

1994 7 Six cases drink-related driving offences. One case of larceny.

The Army maintains central records of the numbers of personnel convicted of criminal offences by a civilian court in Cyprus only where, if convicted, personnel receive a penal sentence. No such cases were notified in 1992 or 1993, but there have been two cases in 1994; one individual was charged with cheque fraud and the other with criminal damage.

§ Mr. Cox
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the number of British service personnel court-martialed in Cyprus in each of the last three years; and if he will give the offences on which they were charged.

§ Mr. Soames
The information requested is as follows:

Year Number¹ Charge

1992 6 Drinking on duty and stating a falsehood.

Possession of a weapon and ammunition and escaping from custody.

Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm (OABH).

Burglary (seven charges) and theft.

Impaired Driving.

Nuisance phone calls.²

1993 9 Unauthorised phone calls.

Attempted arson/arson.

Common assault and assault OABH.

Four cases of Assault OABH.

Obtaining property by deception, avoiding liability by deception (two charges) and forgery.²

Theft.

1994 16 Improperly entering the female accommodation.

False accounting.

Common assault and assault OABH.

Three cases of drink-related driving offences.

Two cases of disobedience to standing orders.

Two cases of assault OABH.³

Failing to provide a specimen of breath after an accident.²

Theft.

Two cases of absence without leave.

Wounding.

Theft (two charges), false instrument (eight charges) and forgery (3 charges).

Notes:

¹ Figures exclude courts material held in Cyprus but where the offences were committed elsewhere.

² Found not guilty.

³ One found not guilty.

Year	Number	Charge
1992	6	Five cases of drink-related driving offences. One public order offence.
1993	12	All cases of drink-related driving offences.
1994	7	Six cases drink-related driving offences. One case of larceny.

Year	Number¹	Charge
1992	6	Drinking on duty and stating a falsehood.
		Possession of a weapon and ammunition and escaping from custody.
		Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm (OABH).
		Burglary (seven charges) and theft.
		Impaired Driving.
		Nuisance phone calls.²
1993	9	Unauthorised phone calls.
		Attempted arson/arson.
		Common assault and assault OABH.
		Four cases of Assault OABH.
		Obtaining property by deception, avoiding liability by deception (two charges) and forgery.²
		Theft.
1994	16	Improperly entering the female accommodation.
		False accounting.
		Common assault and assault OABH.
		Three cases of drink-related driving offences.
		Two cases of disobedience to standing orders.
		Two cases of assault OABH.³
		Failing to provide a specimen of breath after an accident.²
		Theft.
		Two cases of absence without leave.
		Wounding.
		Theft (two charges), false instrument (eight charges) and forgery (3 charges).
Notes:
¹ Figures exclude courts material held in Cyprus but where the offences were committed elsewhere.
² Found not guilty.
³ One found not guilty.